Live Oak question

[tamadrummer]

What are the little stems inside the canopy on all the branches called, other than a total pain in the neck and arms!

Second, how do you clean them out efficently? Right now I have small pruners and a knife or I try to rip them off.

 

[treeseer]

What are the little stems inside the canopy on all the branches called, other than a total pain in the neck and arms!

Twigs.

Second, how do you clean them out efficently? .

I break em off with a polesaw if they are dead dead. Ripping them off can rip into living tissue which is a no-no, like eating yellow snow.

If they are living branches, they should probably stay. Don't lion-tail the trees, please.

 

[Boa07]

Ripping them off can rip into living tissue which is a no-no, like eating yellow snow

 

[Raymond]

I've heard them called water sprouts. I just call'em sucks.
Don't dis the sucks, they help put a lot of food on our tables.

 

[treeseer]

Some watersprouts should be kept, if they can be long-term branches. No cut without a good reason.

If the only way that someone can keep food on the table is to strip them ALL off every few years, it may be time to go on a diet.

Actually, you can return to reprune no matter how you do it, so why not do what's best for the tree? 1/3 at a time is one general guideline.
Best tool for sprouts is a Felco #2 hand pruner, kept in a pouch on your saw scabbard.

Hey Sean, he's the one who cited Moving to Montana; I just went along for the Zappadedoo ride.

Please drop me a note when you have had a chance to look at that car story. Wondering if and where it relates to oz. :monkey: