Your thoughts please -Good or bad idea ?

[RobArb]

i didn't say it was ring barked did i? Sorry:blush:

 

what i meant was, will the bit under the retaining ring callous over and include the ring in the healing before the new shoots have a chance to push it off?

 

Never worked on this tree so don't really know, although would it react the same as other trees in the Fabaceae family?

[arbmark]

maybe it will actually increase humidity in the wound and disease risk????

 

blue sky thinking though:thumbup1:

[Pat Ferrett]

Ah I get ya now Rob

My experience of Acacia dealbeta is that it flourishes down here on the south coast of England, I reduced one 3 years running and it was so vigarous that the neighbour that complained about it taking the light from his office window moaned so much the owner had me remove it, A few days later he bought a blind for the window because the sun reflected off of his computer screen needless to say my customers were'nt happy.

After the cold periods we have had over the last few years I have removed quite a few that just turned black and died, they seemed to be the ones that were exposed to wind chill rather than just low tempreture.

[easy-lift guy]

Your idea sounds like it could work and providing a cap of sorts may allow the cut to try out slower. The weather is the only unknown. Look forward to an update in the Spring

easy-lift guy

[David Goss]

I worked on a lot of mimosa while in Rome and they are really quite vigorous, having said that it was in a hotter climate so dont know how they would react here.

Cracking idea though Pat, i would maybe have cut it at a slight angle, the same as the first branch but its not really that important i guess.

Let us know how it worked out:thumbup1:

[Goaty]

I think you are on to something, 20 years ago trees got painted with pruning compound until it was realised it seem not to help natural healing processes. This must protect from wind frost and strong sunlight all which weather wood.

To be biological about it, the center pith would be the best bit to leave attached as it is the deadest material and the outer would callous all the way round evenly. Bit of a tedious cut to do though.

Excellent initative.

[nepia]

...they seemed to be the ones that were exposed to wind chill rather than just low tempreture.

 

I helped hack off 50% of one of those some years ago in autumn and we had some very cold weather that winter. But the tree was in a sheltered spot and even in heavy but fertile clay (Merstham, near Redhill) and didn't suffer a jot; exploded into growth the next year.

 

And that I believe is my 1000!

 

 

Jon

[sideshow bob]

What ever happened to Arbrex i never see it anymore used gallons of the stuff back int day.

[skyhuck]

maybe it will actually increase humidity in the wound and disease risk????

 

blue sky thinking though:thumbup1:

 

I think your right.

 

The gap will hold a film of water that will create the right environment for pathogens to prosper.

 

I believe this is the reason wound paints stopped being used.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Firstly lets give our resident "latin pedant" a taste of his own, so rob arb, "healing"?

 

not the only one used the term in this but the first, I think. lol

 

I think what you have done is similar to the moss cap that the basque men where doing on the beech pollards, so the theory is all good.

 

with regard to increasing the pathogen/parasite/decay scenario i think unlikely certainly in such a young tree and such a small wound, but interesting thoughts and worth a look into.

 

i have often considered similar.

 

One thing I would say is that on birch i wouldnt do it, which may surprise you all because birch are often poor at dealing with "top cuts" but when they fill with water they are a different prospect altogether and as long as they remain as a water pocket, silt and anaerobic conditions develop and arrest decay organisms