Does Tree Care have it's version of "Water-Witching"

[M.D. Vaden]

Today, I was doing and estimate for tree care and asked the homeowner why their new well was located up the hill quite a bit farther.

She said that she hired two "deviners" ("water witchers" as some call them) and that both suggested that area.

Back near 1984, I worked at a golf course where 5 out of the 8 man crew - including the superintendant, believed in water-witching; even to locate lost drain lines or irrigation pipes.

I'm not referring to modern technilogical equipment, but using the bent wire or tree branch held out in front.

This go me curious about the tree service industry.

Do we have anything in Tree Service that is to our trade, what water witching is to the ground level part of the green industry?

 

[Tree Machine]

I don't have any knowledge, but I'm aware of your extensive depth of knowledge in the tree and landscape industries, M.D.V.

If I were to have posed the question, you would have been one of the first I'd have asked.

 

[clearance]

M.D., when I was working for a construction company years ago I saw a real-estate agent find a 1/2" copper line under a concrete slab in a warehouse using a bent coathanger. In regards to treework, I say the closest thing is when you blow off the biggest top or log that you can without damaging anything. Or throwing a top over a three phase line as it is falling, anyways something that takes a Zen like combination of skill, balls and ******* luck.

 

[treeseer]

shigometer

rubber mallet resonance testing requires perception of subtle vibrations

soil-smelling for microorganisms

etc

 

[pantheraba]

I saw a real-estate agent find a 1/2" copper line under a concrete slab in a warehouse using a bent coathanger.

We had a fellow (husband of our secretary) do the same thing in our warehouse...find a concreted over floor drain.

I saw 2 telephone utility dudes in S. GA (Hahira) get out of their high tech work van, pull out 2 right angled pieces of wire and use them to find a buried water line...just good ole boys doing it their way.

But I don't know anything comparable in treework...but I have not done as much as a lot of these guys.

 

[KentuckySawyer]

Most people outside tree work are pretty impressed by the "stick trick" for measuring the height of a tree or spar.

http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=14506&highlight=measuring+stick+height

Big Shot?

 

[TreeDivision]

I think some good knowledge mystifies sometimes. I had a lady with a pitch pine that wasn't sure if it should go or not. I look up at the tree and notice it is lousey with cones, so I go into my speach; "This tree is on it's way out...when they produce that many cones they are putting out one last ditch effort to have something of themselves survive by reproducing ie putting out as many comes as possible" I got the job.

 

[Tree Machine]

The tree could be thriving and vibrant and producing a bumper crop of cones like other trees, including fruit and nut trees that produce well when they thrive, or have had a very good flowering season, ideal in rain and without freeze.

I would look for a number of reasons, other than a good cone crop, to determine that the tree is in decline.

...unless you just want to sell the job, then tell her whatever you think she'll believe.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I thought that the water witching thing was a bunch of BS untill I saw it and tried it myself. I had a friend that bought a new modular home and had to have some one come out and find the water main on her property to hook up the water. She told me about then and then showed me the two L shaped copper wires that they used. She would hold them out paralell to each other and the ground and walk to where the water main had been dug up. when the copper rods were above the water main the would magically cross. I still thought it was BS untill I tried it.

Kenn

 

[tawilson]

Ouji Board.