Tree Guy question, removing limb?

Re: Tree Guy question, removing limb?

Tom Dunlap

Dr Alex Shigo taught us not to paint wounds back in the very early 80’s. Some old practices die slow

Before you cut do a quick search on “branch collar”. Make any cut as close to that as you can. Think of the branch collar as the fortified front gate of the castle. It keeps decay compartmentalized as much as possible

From your description and having worked with redbuds I’m sure there is tearout. Carefully cut away any loose fibers

There is some good results from wrapping wounds with plastic wrap. It keeps the wound damp and allows new tissues to form. More info online. Best plastic wrapped ASAP

Decay is natural. It doesn’t always lead to failure. If decay and strength loss is a concern there are crown reduction cuts that can be made. This is NOT topping. Crown reductions are really as close to tree surgery as arborists perform. There’s a lot to understand before grabbing saws and climbing gear. Way too many tree cutters have no clue about crown reductions. Be so very careful if your decisions go this way. If you need a referral I’m sure I can find a good arbo. On the other hand, if you like learning, there’s plenty of good info online

Start at the ISA site:

Trees are good

Look it up

Post a pic or email me. I’m heading to Knoxville for the International Tree Climbing Chamipionships (as a spectator ...lol) and conference. While I’m in the area I’m planning on getting together with Bill Tindahl

Re: Tree Guy question, removing limb?

Bruce, a MN Galoot

I hope you get a tour of Bill’s home, it’s a tour de force in high level craftsmanship.

Thanks Tom....

Barry Irby

I cut the limb about three feet from the tree to avoid damaging the branch collar and trunk. Then I cut the three foot part off, still trying to not damage the branch collar. Was mostly successful.

I am going back this morning and clean it up. Both the cut and the debris. Got to sharpen the saw or buy a new chain.

I had not thought of or heard about the plastic wrap. I will look into that.

There were ants in the old wound on the limb.

I will also try to make something out of the wood in the limb.

May be time to plant another.

Keith Newton

Redbud seems to have little to no decay or insect resistance, and will be hollowed out before you know it. Around here it is commonly burled, and I'm always on the watch for that, but I've never gotten one with enough thickness that I could use.

Re: Thanks Tom....

Hank Knight

If you have never seen redbud, here is a box I made for my law partner. He planted a redbud tree on his farm to commemorate the birth of each of his grandchildren. The largest one blew down in a storm several years ago. He asked me to make something from the tree he could give to his grandson. Here is the box I made for him. The wood is very coarse grained and tears out easily, but I found it very interesting.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/23PcQvZ][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/23PcQvZ]IMG_1236[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/158680038@N03/]Hank Knight[/url], on Flickr

Re: Thanks Tom....

Keith Newton

It does have some interesting colors, but I wonder if they fade? Nice work Hank. I'll bet he was very happy with that.

Re: Thanks Tom....

Barry Irby

I tried to save some of the wood, but the limb is so hollowed out and rotting there isn't much. I have save a piece with a knot in it and will turn a couple of winged bowls out of it.

I may be able to scavenge enough for a box or two. That's a very nice box, thanks for posting.

As far as planting another....I have many. I got interested in them many years ago and planted at least twenty of various varieties. I also have about thirty five or forty Japanese maples of various varieties. All of this on a half acre. I have an arboretum, now if I just had the land to go with it.

But I may plant a few more, there is one that is nearly black and one with small pie crust leafs (Mexicana) and then there is a weeping one and ....

I failed to mention the dogwoods....

Re: Thanks Tom....

JohnV

redbud burl makes beautiful turnings.

Anybody know haw to start a Burl?

Barry Irby

Can you plant one on a tree?

Re: Anybody know haw to start a Burl?

Thomas T Dunlap

It's been a while since I did any reading about burls. From what I know the cause of burls is still conjecture.Many ideas but no solid conclusions.

Re: Anybody know haw to start a Burl?

John K Jordan

My reading indicated what Tom said - there are guesses but I haven't found any actual studies.

From observation here I wonder if burls are somewhat contagious. For example, I have many sassafras trees here but I've only seen three sassafras burls - and they are on trees within a few feet of each other.

Perhaps you could try a grafting experiment I've meant to try for years. Make a small corer from a steel tube and remove shallow cores from existing burls and embed them into holes cored in other trees. I had planned to use young trees with rapid growth.

JKJ

Re: Anybody know how to start a Burl?

Keith Newton

I would think you could take a cutting from a tree which had burls, then get it to take root, or graft.

Re: Anybody know haw to start a Burl?

Barry Irby

I too have thought about it for years. Maybe use a plug cutter and matching drill bit? Hmm? Seems like you might move one from tree to tree but they would have to be the same species.

And I too have wondered about the contagion. I see clusters of them in the woods. If you see one, look around because there may be others.