Using spikes while pruning.

[Lorry thompson]

I'd use them on a pollard if i needed them but I'm the same as Steve what differnce does it make compared to large cuts. I love using them but I stick to the rules wouldn't want to lose work through it

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

i never wear spikes on anything other than a removai.....i do find the whole thing quite ironic though, that its ok to climb a tree and make multiple cuts all over it, but leaving little spike marks is damaging the tree?

 

You once said to me "what a ridiculous thing to say"

 

im returning the compliment!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

ariel rescue, take downs and trees that are just beyond safe without them, is the only time its acceptable, im talking like stephens examples, or those behemoth black italians that make all youve seen before fade into history!

 

i never had a pair for the first 12 years of my career, they can be lived without.

[ad15]

Every tree, without fail, especially specimen vets, or stuff with smooth thin bark such as Beech, or a nice snake bark maple. I hate trees, and would happily climb a ramorum infected larch the day before I climb a nice ailanthus or the like.

 

Why do you ask ? Is that wrong?

:adore:

[Stephen Blair]

 

i never had a pair for the first 12 years of my career, they can be lived without.

 

We only had 1 pair between 2 climbers in my first job, it was a race every morning for them lol. I remember doing pop take downs with out them, nightmare. Young pops, say 30 years old. easy 60 feet, brittle thin branches, you soon got chore muscles ha ha. i also think safety has to come into it like Tony says. We are asked to do a lot of non text book reductions on say trees WE think should be removed or left alone. Working a huge crown is 1 thing, trying to work on fluffy tottem poles is another.

[Lorry thompson]

Aye im with you on that one Stephen been there mate when your reducing a tree within the rules not using spikes but it's dangerous not using them at times I care for trees but but I care for myself more if it was too dodgy I'd get myself so far up then use my spikes

[Frank]

i never wear spikes on anything other than a removai.....i do find the whole thing quite ironic though, that its ok to climb a tree and make multiple cuts all over it, but leaving little spike marks is damaging the tree?

 

A very good point and one that I have argued many times. We all know that trees have the ability to "seal" not "heal" wounds. A tree will more than likely never seal a wound larger than 6 inches, yet I am sure we have all at some time removed limbs that are larger than this at the final pruning cut. So why are a few little spike marks gonna do soooooo much damage. Kids engrave their names into trees and years later these marks are still clearly visible, is the tree dead because of it? No

 

if anything surely a spike mark in certain trees may even encourage dormant buds to come to fruition and encourage growth resulting in more foliage.

More foliage, happier tree?

Conifers seep sap and seal over spike marks before you have even swept up the arisings haha.

[Mesterh]

a very good point and one that i have argued many times. We all know that trees have the ability to "seal" not "heal" wounds. A tree will more than likely never seal a wound larger than 6 inches, yet i am sure we have all at some time removed limbs that are larger than this at the final pruning cut. So why are a few little spike marks gonna do soooooo much damage. Kids engrave their names into trees and years later these marks are still clearly visible, is the tree dead because of it? No

 

if anything surely a spike mark in certain trees may even encourage dormant buds to come to fruition and encourage growth resulting in more foliage.

More foliage, happier tree?

Conifers seep sap and seal over spike marks before you have even swept up the arisings haha.

 

[attach]45650[/attach]

[Frank]

On another note. Have you ever tried choking a stem with a climbing strop and putting your foot through it?

 

Just thought I'd put that out there.

[Taupotreeman]

For me it depends on the tree and my safety. Around my area there are also a lot of massacred trees. Heavy topping etc etc so spiking up them isn't going to cause anymore damage than has already occurred through bad pruning. I know that's a pretty feeble excuse but what's the difference between hacking the top off a perfectly good tree year after year until it's rotten to the core, and putting some spike holes in it. No point trying to look after a decidedly sick tree when the land owner can't see sense, take it out and replace it with something more suitable. We also have a lot of big gnarly Poplars that farmers want the tops hacked off to be used as shelter belts. Same reasoning applies.