Restoring Stubbed Pines

[treeseer]

"You have a job to 'Crown clean' several Aleppo pine's ( or any kind ).
The trees are heavy and last trimmed years ago and badly.
You see that hundred's of stub's from really small to 6" in diameter thru-out the entire tree.
As part of a 'Crown clean' , would you cut the stub's even tho it is like a hundred wound's?
This is actually a real question and has to do with a job I am on and being overseen by a BCMA and registered consultant."

Jeff, you might want to check 5.3.3 to defend the approach of leaving stubs: "Smaller cuts SHALL be preferred." If the stubs are sealed well with pitch and callusing over, that closure could be considered equivalent to the "collar of living tissue", 5.3.6. The BCMA/RCA dude/dudette and yourself should be able to agree via ANSI on how to write the specs.

If the job order/specs are already written, and just say "crown clean", then arguments, lost profits, and dissatisfaction all around seem inevitable. You'll have to reach a reasonable compromise, like leaving >3", depending on the objective, disease pressure, condition, rate of closure, etc. Best of luck--and see you in SD in 358 days!

 

[imagineero]

Not sure what the story is with your above post, looks like you included a response from another poster?

The advice looks sound though, especially the part about how the job is spec'd and lost profits. You've got to compromise between what you've been told to do, what you've charged to do, and what is best for the tree.

I'd be more concerned with the length of the stubs than the diameter. If they are short, and show signs of healing over then best to leave. It's so hard to say without photos... are they sprouting? Are they dead and rotting/cracking? Signs of insects?

My personal approach is that if the stubs are old, dead, not sprouting and showing no signs of insects then I make the call based on the owner and aesthetics balanced by what I charged for the job and how many stubs there are. The collar has often grown way out by this stage so you're not doing much more than aesthetics honestly, It isnt going to grow over. The tree has the situation pretty much under control. This goes double is the stubs look very old. You'd want to have a reason to disturb all that chemistry. You'll likely make things worse by cutting.

If they look recent, and/or sprouting, I'll buzz them back to the collar. The collar is still active at this stage and has a better chance of closing the wound. Depends on branch diameter/species so no clear answer there, but under 3" its a no brainer. If you leave them, they may die off and invite insects/rot back far inside the collar so damage control is what it's about.

Photos help a lot. Sounds like you're stuck somewhere between paperwork, clients and profit. Not a good place to be. On top of which, it can be pretty depressing working in trees that have been butchered. Done is done, so do what you can do to improve the situation.

Shaun

 

[treeseer]

"Not sure what the story is with your above post, looks like you included a response from another poster? "

I pulled Jeff's quote out of a toilet; the response is mine. He can add details, or respond, or not. Yes pics would help; maybe his camera is broken. :msp_mad:

Pine stubs very rarely sprout. If they did, and had the capacity to be useful branches, they should be restored and not removed.

"The collar has often grown way out by this stage so you're not doing much more than aesthetics honestly, It isnt going to grow over. The tree has the situation pretty much under control. This goes double is the stubs look very old. You'd want to have a reason to disturb all that chemistry. You'll likely make things worse by cutting."

Agreed. Just looked at gilman's new book and could not find this scenario covered. Anyone else?

 

[David (saltas)]

tip toe through the tulips

opcorn:

I think I recall the start of it

 

[scubadude1188]

It all depends on where the branch collar is. If it has grown out over the stubs; don't cut the stubs. If you cut them you are damaging trunk tissue. If the branch collar has only grown out some; remove only the section of dead branch out side the collar.

With the post about whether the branch is sprouting or not. Remember the branch collar is trunk tissue, not branch tissue, so whether the branch is alive or dead does not effect the branch collar.

I'd say remove the stubs if you can with out damaging the branch collar. This will help the wound close over faster creating a barrier to future decay and to help make safer climbing for the next person who has to prune the tree.