Propping a Yew

[scotspine1]

I have decided to put props on this Yew to stop stem failure. It needs 3 props. I was thinking of using some kind of treated wood like telegraph poles/straining posts but smaller diameter. Going to sit the poles on concrete slabs embedded under the grass so they won't be visible on the lawn.

 

Anyone done any propping or got any ideas about what wood to use for the props?

 

How do you make sure the props stay attached to the stems during high winds?

[Mr Ed]

Use oak or sweet chestnut, and have steel yokes made. then cross bolt the props into place using stainless bolts.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Wouldn't you be able to take the end off the horizontal branch to some extent then cable brace it to the other stem or is that not an option

[Amelanchier]

Mebbe attach them with fabric straps? Great tree mate.

 

Would be nice to mulch that root zone though.

 

(waiting for lee to chip in with some root related specs in a mo...)

[Steve Bullman]

Tim, interesting tree.

 

in the past ive used scaffolfing poles seated on a buried slab and concreted in. painted army green it doesnt look too bad. have a V welded on the top with black high density foam sleeving, you know the type of stuff they use on bmx cross bars.

[Steve Bullman]

oh just to add, whatever prop you use its never going to look great

[Mr Ed]

Mebbe attach them with fabric straps?

 

NO! Fabric straps will cause mucho cambium damage...

I had to install many of svensk tradvards padded cable braces in the '90's, and do checks on old ones. the amount of cambium damage from the fabric was horrendous.

 

Far better to cross bolt than have any kind of padding pressing on the cambium.

[Lee Winger]

i'd use scaffold tubes with steel yokes, concreted into the ground [holes carefully excavated]

 

like Tony says it would be god to see the root zone mulched

[scotspine1]

Pecon,

 

The original idea was to cable using Cobra, but I decided that the angle was wrong for cabling, poor angles wouldn't allow for any increase in structural stability/strength.

 

There has been end weight taken off the stems already, long term to the plan is to encourage the juvenile growth around the main trunk to slowly replace these large stems. But for the moment, the large stems are needed for feeding.

 

Ed, are you saying to drill holes to hold the yoke/support in place? That might work, they dont have to be too big.

[Mr Ed]

Yes, drill the stems and install 10mm stainless bolts. The 2 tiny holes will be far less invasive / damaging than resting the limbs on padding.