splinting broken limbs

[John Paul Sanborn]

Yesterday i returned to a site where we installed a 3inch caliper callary pear. During the binding/transport two aesthetically important branches were cracked.

Not wanting to prune them out, I splinted them with electrical tape. I've read( and we've discussed) about how plastic can trap ethylene from the plant and help facilitate rejoining of the cambial layer.

I took off the tape and both branches showed marked improvement, one was very solid and should last as long as the tree, the other has a little wobble and may need pruning at some latter time. Both are straight, green and growing.

 

[beastmaster]

How were they cracked? At the trunk, vertical, horizontal? I sure like to see some pictures. It would be nice to have an option to just removing a cracked branch. This is unrelated, but I once wanted to try to raise a low branch that was marked for removal by cutting out a section(a V) at the base and trying to graft it back together after pulling it up flush to the new cut.(lifting it 30 degrees). It seemed a little radical, but if the cambium match up it may of worked. I see some big pine branches with horizontal stress cracks that have sometimes healed them selfs enough naturally that with a little weight reduction can be saved.
Vary interesting.

 

[derwoodii]

Nice work trying to help, flippin Cally pears split all the time, tis sad as they are a nice tree. I used 14mm nylon threaded bolts n nuts on one with a terminal crotch split about hmm 4 years ago.
Was told its still failing and not making any head way with its structure. I should go have a look, the idea was just to get it to stay awhile till the rest of the garden filled in the space.

The threaded rod n nuts come from bucket lifts as electrical insulated.

 

[treeseer]

beast, i have tried that notching thing on cedars bent over for screen recently; no doubt it will work. see arborsculptor.com for more on this.

yes if tape may not be enough then bolts (bracing) work well.

we have more tools than just saws.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

These are not Bradfords, I thing they are 'Aristocrats' which get as wide as high. Very good branch structure, since I did the selection.

The cracks were mid branch and typical green-twig type fractures, the worse of the two split at a node, and is still floppy.

Of course I had forgot my phone when I went out there, and the drive is too long to go for just a few pics. maybe when i have to go out there and put in a small burning bush that is struggling. It is 2-3 months out of warranty, so I said i would cover labor in fall if it still is in bad shape.

 

[BC WetCoast]

We recently planted a large maple in a shopping mall tree well. Had to use a truck lift to move the tree in the maneuvering it tore off a section of trunk bark. We wrapped it in electrical tape to keep the cambium from drying out. Will go back there in a couple of weeks and see how it looks.

 

[sgreanbeans]

These are not Bradfords, I thing they are 'Aristocrats' which get as wide as high. Very good branch structure, since I did the selection.

I think most of the time when you go to a nursery they are Aristocrats and they sell them as a Bradford, it almost is as if the name Bradford has become generic to pears.

 

[ronnyb]

Buy some grafting tape and keep it on hand. It's clear so not very noticeable, a little more professional than electrical tape.

 

[flushcut]

Buy some grafting tape and keep it on hand. It's clear so not very noticeable, a little more professional than electrical tape.

No, no, no, duct tape is by far more acceptable.

 

[TreEmergencyB]

No, no, no, duct tape is by far more acceptable.

had a boss one time use electrical tape and call it 'tree tape' to the customer, hard not to laugh while i was wrapping this limb with the 'tree tape'