dead wooding oak

[tree-fancier123]

i took one approx 10" dia dead branch off over a roof yesterday and there was one more over the roof, similar dia, but not completely dead - the branch in question had a small live bit - i would guess half inch thick shoot with a few leaves right at the end - without making a TPO application would it still be ok to class it as deadwood? - hope im not being too anal about this, but obviously dont want paper work or getting nabbed. The one i left for now with the minute live twig at end has only partial bark cover right up near the collar.

 

So if over a roof (and TPOd) would people just class as dead and remove back to pruning cut by collar, go out and take the obviously dead extremity off, or leave?

Also this 10" branch is about 3/4 way up tree - trunk is say 14 " approx where pruning cut would be made - was worried if i made the pruning cut and removed the branch the wound would not occlude and decay set iin, thereby making the other branches over the roof above the proposed pruning cut (about 20ft extra height maybe) a possible later problem.

I know some would have just removed the almost dead branch over the roof and not worried about the pruning cut, feel a bit of a t wat for dithering on this. Not enough experience to decide.

So the branch in question has a clearly dead bit at the very end, a live twig 2/3rds along and missing bark on the edge and underside from the collar going outwards, should have photographed but started raining

 

hope some people have had to make these decisions routinely and know - dont really want pen pusher replies - sorry guys, but only want to hear from people who do or have done the physical work, not those solely immersed in the literature who haven't done pruning works. I mean I want to know what to do, not just an interpretation of the law and current biology - i know biology is important (dont arbex it etc, current thinking) but want to hear from people who cut dead bits off to pay the bills

thanks - sorry not too concise

Edited September 9, 2017 by tree-fancier123

[tree-fancier123]

[Steve Bullman]

It's always best to not cut back to the trunk where possible.  Hard to say without seeing but I would probably have cut it to the growth, particularly if no tpo application had been made.  

[tree-fancier123]

2 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

It's always best to not cut back to the trunk where possible.  Hard to say without seeing but I would probably have cut it to the growth, particularly if no tpo application had been made.  

thanks for the reply - you probably typed it just as i was uploading the photo - the live bit is maybe 1 inch dia where it joins the branch - i realise a tpo app is being by the letter, but surely in the field people apply common sense?

Re cutting back to the trunk - that is what concerns me as there would still be quite a bit of tree over the roof above the pruning cut and dont' want to make the potential for damage even worse - is this a situation where leaving a long stub would be advisable?

[Steve Bullman]

Potentially yes, although it looks like you would be back at a later date to take off the remaining piece.

 

and yes, common sense is applied a lot on these situations

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Really difficult to call from the pic.

 

Is the (partially) dead limb indicated on pic over a garden / play area for example?  

 

Oak - 'deadwood' could hang-in- there for years / decades even.  But if you're there, it might pay to whip it off (if over a high risk target area)

 

It's not a 'recommendation' but don't stress too much about the TPO thing.  If you make the call, and have the confidence to support it with a balanced decision making process, it's more likely than not that your decision would be better than the next man's.  After all, you've been up the tree, has the next man?

 

Is the tree owner predisposed towards a mid-long term strategic tree management plan or do they want you in once, sort the job and maybe get a call back in a few years...  

 

Not sure that might have offered any help, other than, make a decision based upon the information and circumstances you have considered, then stand by it.

 

Let us know what you decided (unless it's via an illicit mobile phone from behind bars at Her Majesty's Pleasure!!) 

 

    

[tree-fancier123]

14 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Is the (partially) dead limb indicated on pic over a garden / play area for example?

over the roof

15 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Oak - 'deadwood' could hang-in- there for years / decades even

this is what i imagined - so is it best to chance it and not open up a wound near the trunk ( pruning cut)?

 

17 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Is the tree owner predisposed towards a mid-long term strategic tree management plan or do they want you in once, sort the job and maybe get a call back in a few years

i cut the hedges and grass, so am there often - i pointed out dead wood in a couple of trees, she said do it - and now i'm hesitating on this one bit for the reasons described - if i cut it at the collar and the wound leads to trunk decay im a wrongun and if i leave the branch and it smashes the roof she'll say why didn't you take it off? At least the trunk decay would take years i guess. Large pruning wounds on oak seem to take twenty years or more to occlude, and some look like they never will.

I guess worst case the house insurance would cover the roof, but preventative dead wooding seems worthwhile - if not doing further harm - ie going to rot the tree

25 minutes ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

Let us know what you decided (unless it's via an illicit mobile phone from behind bars at Her Majesty's Pleasure!!) 

wasn't planning to fell it!

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

What's the branch diameter as it joins the stem?  Looks to be about 200mm from the pic (maybe way out, but guessing from the pic)

 

What about a 3rd option...

 

Reduce the lateral length of the (almost) dead limb by 30-50% or back to the last visible sign of new growth?  Reduce the likelihood of a big lump falling off onto the roof.

 

(just re-read OP and seen detail)