Should i condemn this?

[RobRainford]

Here is a fantasitc weeping willow, i was called out to take a look and give quotes for a heavy prune and to remove, so the customer had some options. There is one pesky branch that decided to interfere with some nearby phone lines, and that was the main reason for the phonecall.

 

Hoever, when taking a good look at the tree, there is evidence of previous pruning which appears to have been done half right and half wrong, some pruning wounds are ok but there are other stubs that have been left and also some that have decayed.

 

There is an old failure wound on the tension side of the stem, and its fairly huge, it has ferns growing out of it which could indicate decay inside the tree. And on the reverse of the stem to this wound, there is a recess in the stem, which seems to show there is little left in that area regarding wood thickness.

 

I also noticed a split in one of the main limbs, the one which goes out towards the phone line. Which is my main concern as could this tree be past its best and need to come out?

 

I recommended that it was to come out as i couldnt guarantee that it would be completely structurally sound.

 

In the pictures that show a close up of the bark, could this be any evidence of fibre buckling or any problems? i know salix sp have fissured bark into maturity but this 'crack' seems to be out of the ordinary.

 

Further up the split branch, there is a hole, apparently there was a woodpecker who liked to go in there, could that be a factor in the partial failure?

 

Need advice please!

[Tree Man Tom]

You have answered your own question really, you have said you recomended it for removal. You are also quoting for both removal and prune.

 

What ever the client wants is what they shall get right? Moneys money, if they decide to have it pruned then go for it, if you dont do it someone else will.

[Mozza]

Its a willow, Smash it back and let it start again!!

[skyhuck]

I recommended that it was to come out as i couldnt guarantee that it would be completely structurally sound.

 

I say this about every tree I ever look at.

[RobRainford]

few other pics

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Yes the tree has an old (not that old) hazard beam, it has got some dysfunction on tension side, probably caused by tension and resultent delamination of bark plates.

 

However, the tree is very obviously vital, vigorous and happy, it would easily take a 30% plus reduction, i would use a heavey drop crotch technique to remove heavy volume rather than just foliage mass.

 

This tree is becoming a veteran, an ecosystem in its own right and should if at all possible be rtained for as long as possible, a pruning regime could be done, every three years say.

 

If its really as bad as you say then pollard it by 50% and try to leave sap risers on it to allow it to produce carbs rather than have to allocate immense resource and weaken defence capabilities till its recovered from the pruning.

[RobRainford]

Its a willow, Smash it back and let it start again!!

 

 

I was thinking that too, i was thinking about a seriously hard prune back, but then i could just fell it too.

 

THey are after the long term solution, but a serious pruning would be better for myself in the long run.

[RobRainford]

Yes the tree has an old (not that old) hazard beam, it has got some dysfunction on tension side, probably caused by tension and resultent delamination of bark plates.

 

However, the tree is very obviously vital, vigorous and happy, it would easily take a 30% plus reduction, i would use a heavey drop crotch technique to remove heavy volume rather than just foliage mass.

 

This tree is becoming a veteran, an ecosystem in its own right and should if at all possible be rtained for as long as possible, a pruning regime could be done, every three years say.

 

If its really as bad as you say then pollard it by 50% and try to leave sap risers on it to allow it to produce carbs rather than have to allocate immense resource and weaken defence capabilities till its recovered from the pruning.

 

THanks for that hama, great bit of advice there.

 

I was thinking it must be doing alright despite the obvious problems, would i need to get the tree surveyed because of the hole on the hazard beam?

 

Would it be a possibility to completly remove the whole limb, therefore reducing lever arm and removing a hazard?

[Mesterh]

Long term is to fell and replant.But then you could say that about all trees in decline.

 

 

I would give it a nice good old hacking as Mozza says.

 

These willows love it, at the right time which is probably right now.

 

Weeping willows are always full of deadwood and do have plenty of cracked limbs, you only have to touch them to break a limb.

 

I would never guarantee that any tree is structurally sound.

[Paul Jenks]

I'm with Mozza and Hama. It's a willow. Beat it into shape and it'll come back. Make sure you write to the client to explain that the vigorous regen will need management in the future and if the tree attains anything near the size it is now it may be as prone or more prone to failure.

I did one this summer that was split down the middle from crown break to ground level. Good haircut and bolted it back together. It's the only feature tree in the garden. Good as gold, it's come back great, client is delighted and they know to call me back in a year or so to give it another pudding bowl.