Galvanized Screw in Poplar Tree

Re: Galvanized Screw in Poplar Tree

Thomas T Dunlap

Wrapping is choking the cambium layer. YOu should cut off and pull out as much of the wrapped cable as possible without damaging the bark. If the bark has encased the cable try chopping the cable in a couple of places and leave it in place. With plastic coated cable I've had really good luck pulling out the cable and getting part of the plastic tubing too

Trees are incredibly tolerant of our abuse. We can damage them and they will continue to grow. I've seen trees and shrubs with choked cables fail and break off. I've also seen them with fully encase chokes and live

Using a long lag threaded eye screw would be a better solution. It won't take much thread length to support a bird feeder so you should have years of time before the eye is grown over. If you do use a lag eye put it in the trunk below to encircled top.

No & Maybe

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Use a bronze or other copper alloy for the screw-eye.

The cable can "girdle" the vascular system just as roots can. The tree can still grow around and over it but why have it included in the tree? Of course the same is true of the screw-eye, but that's a single point rather than a choke-hold on the whole trunk.

Best option {IMHO} is to fit the tree with something that you can enlarge or replace every couple of years

Don't move the anchor

Thomas T Dunlap

MM...replacing routinely causes damage to the cambium that has grown since the last wounding.

Woody plants replicate themselves new every growing season. Think of this as a sheet covering the previous wounds or healthy tissue. If the new, undamaged, sheet is damaged the plant has to grow another sheet to isolate the damage.

Read about CODIT to understand how woody plants isolate wounds.

Any woodworker has seen how CODIT works but most don't 'know' what is there. Knots are old branches. If they die or are pruned off at the branch collar new, clear, wood will develop layer by layer.

There is a way to support the bird feeder that doesn't include wounding. It's hard to imagine this won't work.

Find a polyester rope, its more UV resistant than nylon. Make a fullwrap around the trunk then go out a foot or so and tie a bowline. With the full wrap choking the trunk the rope won't slip down. With the tie off out from the trunk there is space for the tree to grow. no choking.

No Anchor

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

I was actually suggesting something like your rope idea that can be replaced every few years so as to not choke the tree's vascular network. I wasn't suggesting replacing the screw-eye thing

Re: Galvanized Screw in Poplar Tree

Jim Dillon

I would also advocate for a "wrap-around" tree fixture to attach to your line that holds your bird feeders. This allows you to expand the wrap-around to accommodate the tree growth and is less damaging to the tree. Friction from the rough bark seems to hold my small chain-links (don't know the right word) in place and allows me to attach the bird feeders with no problem. As mentioned by Tom, rope would work great as well. Above all, keep those birds happy and well fed!! They are such a joy to watch - especially in the winter. Jim

cables and trees

John K Jordan

I've hung things from limbs and put pressure on trees without cutting into the bark by running a rope or cable through a hose then making a loose loop. For steel cable I use a piece of old hydraulic hose, fairly soft and large diameter on the outside, armored on the inside.

I don't know if this is the best way to do it but the trees, young and old, have not appeared damaged.

JKJ

Re: Galvanized Screw in Poplar Tree

Hank Knight

I've used 2 1/2 to 3" wide nylon webbing to suspend things from tree trunks and limbs. I put a grommet in each end of the webbing, loop it around the tree and attach a rope through the grommets' It's very easy on the tree and provedes a solid foundation for feeders, bird houses, etc.

Maybe a guideline?

Thomas T Dunlap

Cable or rope through hose is a solution that's been around forever. If there is a load on the support its not a good idea. To reduce wear on thee bark it might be OK.

So many solutions but which are good?

Would you use the solution and apply the load if the tree were your bare leg? Flat webbing...good...bare cable or chain...not me!

Re: Galvanized Screw in Poplar Tree

Thomas Skaggs, Foothills of Mount Level

I'm gonna say a single eye screw won't kill the tree.

T.

Re: Galvanized Screw in Poplar Tree

Pete in Holland MI

Just use a galvanized eye, but leave it proud, as the tree will continue to expand and eventually swell over the eye.

Millions of sugar maple trees have dozens of holes drilled in them over the years to extract sap, and still keep going.

Thank you

Yonak

Thank you, everyone, for your responses and suggestions. I have decided to go with a stainless steel eye screw eschewing the galvanized, as I had originally considered, on which I'll hook an "S" hook. It seems like much less on-going maintenance as it won't be grown over for years and, when it does, if the tree is still alive if I'm still alive, I'll put in another eye screw.