What would you do with this pine?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
treeseer said:
Eric, you are right but "reduce" also refers to shortening spreading branches while leaving the leader be.

Oh yeah, I must be getting old, I keep forgetting that.

Probably coz I do 90% TD's, I need to get more of this sort of work and PHC ... damn it!
 
If you remove the limb, in a few years you'll be asking, "What do I do about that big hollow spot on the trunk, remove the whole tree?"
So no, you don't want to remove the branch.
Xtremetrees called it a parasite branch, but branches are not any more parasitic than roots are parasitic.
Thinning was mentioned. To me that would just be a feel good action. If it would make you feel good then do it, the tree will most likely survive it, I don't think it would help one bit. Removing a small percentage of the crown, even if it's just on one side branch, will slightly change the wind resistance, but it could be argued whether it increases or decreases that wind loading. Trees tend to take wind loads as one single mass, unless they are wide and multi stemmed. Cutting holes can have the effect of increasing wind resistance on the main spar.
I won't cut healthy living branches off a tree without a very good reason. Mature trees reach a balance. Changing the amount of food a tree can make by cutting off the branches, can throw a mature tree into a downward spiral. At the very least, it's a stress to the tree.
Topping was mentioned, which I can't believe, given the amount of information about how bad a practice this is. Shame on you Ekka. A google search resulted in 2,030,000 sites that say topping is bad. Do the search if you need more info on that.
Cabling was thrown up a few times. Steel cable would increase the likelihood of failure, due to the fact that there isn't a weak spot to protect, and cables can cause failure by karate effect.
Dynamic cables would be a great feel good action. They hold the limb to the main trunk and don't cause other problems.
If it were my tree, at my house, I'd do nothing but sit back and enjoy it.
 
'ok i think we agree on not topping or reducing the limb."

No, JPS and at least one more suggested reducing is height to allow that main stem to dominate. this is called subordination of a codominant stem, a reasonable practice if there are the right lterals to cut to.

"I dont know, the idea of shortening sprawling limbs? I don tlike."

Why not? It's mimicking nature--sprawling branches tend to get shorter when they break off under loading. It's not always easy to get out there and make the cuts, but it is doable. Removing a few sprawling limbs is another option; decision is based on where you can make cuts that will seal.

"Now what would you charge? As a family friend I would say 300 cost of cable 100 install it and 200 remove limbs total 600"

You need to check with the sponsors here--you are way high on mtl cost.
Don't give a firm estimate. Charge by the hour. Other trades do it. It's the fairest way to go.
 
I am not way high on material cost. Minimum cobra cable I can buy is about 300 bucks. You must not be installing cables treeseer?

Trim only in spring why didnt yall say that.? This trees entire life span is only 400 yrs. im est. big the size which is quiet massive to me maybe only 150 yrs old.

Its a small issue scheduling species dependant pruning?
 
Last edited:
xtremetrees said:
Trim only in spring why didnt yall say that.?

That's a new one for me, my understanding is that they sap out more during that time and the dry time of summer is best aestheticly. I've trimmed white pine any time of the year.
 
Spring is the worst time to prune, generally. Now is good. re cables, if a whole kit costs $300 and you only use 12', how can you charge for the whole kit?

Remember, the owne ris reading this thread, right?:taped:
 
treeseer said:
Spring is the worst time to prune, generally. Now is good. re cables, if a whole kit costs $300 and you only use 12', how can you charge for the whole kit?

Remember, the owne ris reading this thread, right?:taped:

The whole kit is only 25 feet. I figure its a 15 feet long cable, leaving plenty of excess for adjustment.

Pinus strobus should be trimmed in the spring so the book says, generally.
Dr. Kim Coder told us last month not to trim during summer due to the heat, lack of water stress.
 
xtremetrees said:
Dr. Kim Coder told us last month not to trim during summer due to the heat, lack of water stress.

That big hearted individual is usually right, but....

Every season has a reason not to prune, if one is minimalistic and aesthetics are a big concern then pitching out could be a big concern. Drought stress can be addressed by advising the client to water during weeks that there is less then an inch of rain.

When it comes down to it, will you ever go on vacation for the whole summer? The the whole spring because bark slips more then..oh, studies now show that dormant pruneed trees are more susceptable to spring sporing fungus, E.G. Nectria sp. in Gleditsia triacanthos in nursery settings
 

Latest posts

Back
Top