# Sumac for smoker - dry first, or use red?



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

I dry mine, I pick it whenever I get time. I find if it dries on the bush a lot of the little berries fall off when you pick it. We are drawing to the end of bee season so I'll pick a couple of brown paper bags full and use it next season. 
I also pick up the fresh pine needles that fall in the spring. Adrian.


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

I find these alittle tougher to light but they are worth it. once you get them going they last along time. For me I stay up wind form the smoke. This stuff really gets me hacking


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## acb's (Apr 14, 2007)

Loonerone,

Only use the smoker when I have to, but when I do I use sumac. Haven't ever used it right off the bush, but don't see why you couldn't use it whenever as long as it will light. I usually pick some in the fall after the leaves are gone and put it in open bags. The man we got bees from used pine needles, so that's what I used at first. Always thought the smoke was really strong and the smell stuck with you for a long time. Then I read about sumac. Has a mellow smoke compared to other fuels I've tried, lights easy with a little bit of paper, and burns for a long time. Can't testify to any of the other claimed benefits of sumac. I just know I've used it for a few years, like it, and as long as I can find it i will continue to. Am sure you will like it, too.
Arvin


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

What's the advantage of using Sumac in the smoker? I currently use a little newpaper, pulp wood with a little newpaper on top. I use green grass in the cone as a filter to keep any random sparks from getting into the hive. It's worked well but I'm not adverse to changing if there's something better. I've got Sumac all around me but hadn't considered it as a fuel/smoke source.


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

Sumac just seems to burn forever. One word of warning is when you dump a half burned smoker there is a good chance that next year sumac will grow and some people dont want it on there property


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## Loonerone (May 4, 2009)

I've read that sumac also has beneficial properties for the bees....so it seems a win all around.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Both....


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## clarkfarm (Apr 13, 2009)

There was an article within the last year in Bee Culture Magazine I think involved a beekeeper's project to compare sumac smoke to other smoke and he concluded that the sumac bobs killed more mites. For what its worth. Don't know if anyone else has verified that.


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