Restoration Pruning

[gibbon]

bump:thumbup:

 

Sorry Rob. I went back to that site a few weeks ago. The tree had tons of epicormic growth, but much more above rather than below where we had partially ring barked it. I was expecting that by ring barking part of the stem, hormone patterns might be disrupted and new shoots would form lower down.

 

I would suggest that perhaps it didnt work on this tree due to the diameter of the limbs we tried it on. The stems were 12 to 18inch diameter. Perhaps with stems at this size it easy enough for trees to divert energy and hormones around the damaged area. Maybe it might work better on older larger diamater stems where the flow of resources follows more distinct channels through the tree? I really don't know, just trying to guess whats going on.

 

Those lumps under the bark are the the start of epicormic shoots. I've often wandered if the older, thicker bark lower down the stem becomes just too thick for these shoots to penetrate. Have you ever seen them when they become big horrible spines but still do not manage to get out? Could be why some vigourous trees (Eucs,Pops) never manage to recover from a hard, low pollard. With a true pollard the bark above the knuckle is much younger and thinner.

 

All this is just thinking out loud, I just dont think anyone knows enough about this or the answer would already be out there for all of us.

[RobArb]

and especially lion tails!

 

need to establish an identification method yet without peeling bark off live trees, its coming along but its just having the time to do stuff!

[ScottF]

There was an excellent series of photos in an article by Neville Fay recently in the ISA newsletter, which showed the effects of restoration pruning an oak over a period of 100 years, from a top-loaded tree with epicormics back to a low-spreading and balanced crown, presumably through a series of timely and light interventions. I'll see if I can get permission to post them here. Super thought-provoking.

 

Check out the photo on page 4 of the most recent article.

 

Obviously, thanks to the author...

 

http://http://www.treeworks.co.uk/press_releases_publications.php

[RobArb]

link won't work and you've wet my tastebuds now:biggrin:

 

get it working:lol:

[richyB]

Is this it?

 

http://www.treeworks.co.uk/downloads/CONSERVATION_ARBORICULTURELearning_Review4-16-06-2011.pdf

[ScottF]

Is this it?

 

http://www.treeworks.co.uk/downloads/CONSERVATION_ARBORICULTURELearning_Review4-16-06-2011.pdf

 

That's the one.

[RobArb]

your right on the thought provokingness (if thats a word:lol:)

 

We should all thiknk about trees as an organism with a lifespan rather than cutting them to our needs, and cutting short a life..

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

your right on the thought provokingness (if thats a word:lol:)

 

We should all thiknk about trees as an organism with a lifespan rather than cutting them to our needs, and cutting short a life..

 

[RobArb]

Thought you might have something to say:001_tt2:

 

this is very much in line with the line of study i plan to research, its just a case of finalising variables and getting permissions:001_smile:

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Go fourth young jedi.