Oak worries

[JimM]

On the estate I'm working on there are quite a few mature oaks with limb damage. Several have bad horizontal splits running back right to the stem.

 

Should I prune these right to the stem or leave a good few feet of limb remaining? I'm worried that cutting back to the stem will leave an open wound right on the stem.

 

Or do I leave a few feet of limb which can perhaps allow the cracks to heal now that the worst of the weight is off them? And maybe prune further in a year or so.

 

Advice please.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

On the estate I'm working on there are quite a few mature oaks with limb damage. Several have bad horizontal splits running back right to the stem.

 

Should I prune these right to the stem or leave a good few feet of limb remaining? I'm worried that cutting back to the stem will leave an open wound right on the stem.

 

Or do I leave a few feet of limb which can perhaps allow the cracks to heal now that the worst of the weight is off them? And maybe prune further in a year or so.

 

Advice please.

 

Hi Jim, I'll give it a shot..

 

Firstly, do you have to remove the limbs at all? Is the tree in a target area and if so can the target be removed / diverted?

 

Gonna venture an opinioin now but may be subject to challenge from 'the great and the good' here on forum, but the cracks you refer to are likely to be 'hazard beams' (see Matthecks' "Body Language of Trees") and whilst common place I don't believe they are particularly prone to failure.

 

Secondly, if you do decide to proceed then 'yes' leaving a long stub (advocated in BS3998-2010 in certain circumstances) and teherby avoiding creating a large wound on the main stem, whilst probably aesthetically unpleasing, which would undoubtedly serve as an entry point for decay organisms partic at this time of year when they'll soon be sporrulating.

 

Another point to consider is I believe these cracks can be host to temp bat roosts, so need to be very careful not squash them if so.

 

Hope this helps.

Paul

[slack ma girdle]

Is there public access ?

If not then leave alone.

If there is put up some signs that you have left some possible dangerous trees for wildlife value, and the public is advised to stay out.

 

Sent from my Galaxy arse using tupping talk.

Check ALL the simple things first.

[Stubby]

If you feel you have to remove any limbs leave the last cut to just in front of the collar then it will heel properly. Sorry if you know that .

[JimM]

Thanks so far. The limbs are over estate roads and tracks and leaving alone is not an option. Trust me I'm not doing it for aesthetic reasons.

I've got 5 like it to deal with and I haven't even scratched the surface of all the oaks here.

My only concern was that if I cut back to the stem the open crack on the face would increase the risk of fungal attack.

From what you're saying Paul I'll go for the long stub option.

There are dozens and dozens of large dead elm here which I'm hoping to monolith, so the beasties are doing ok for homes and snacks.

[treeseer]

Thanks so far. The limbs are over estate roads and tracks and leaving alone is not an option. Trust me I'm not doing it for aesthetic reasons.

If aesthetic value is preferred, why not take some weight off the end and brace the crack with a bolt?

[monkeybusiness]

If aesthetic value is preferred, why not take some weight off the end and brace the crack with a bolt?

 

Great idea, or even just heavily reduce? They are supporting their current loading with the cracks - why not 50% reduce the relevant limbs (Oak will fire up from almost anything so don't be put off by poor choice of points to reduce to - 'pollard' necessary limbs/branches if needs be). If you can avoid pruning back to the stem/trunk then do so, but in reality a healthy Oak will recover from whatever you choose to do to it. Any rot that sets in and de-stabilises a currently healthy tree will certainly not be a problem of our generation!

[JimM]

One of the oaks has its branches on the ground after the limb cracked. After the comments above I'm planning to reduce the affected limbs as little as possible whilst removing any risk to those below. Then monitor after that. Cheers guys.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

One of the oaks has its branches on the ground after the limb cracked. After the comments above I'm planning to reduce the affected limbs as little as possible whilst removing any risk to those below. Then monitor after that. Cheers guys.

 

sounds like a plan.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Hi Jim, I'll give it a shot..

 

Firstly, do you have to remove the limbs at all? Is the tree in a target area and if so can the target be removed / diverted?

 

Gonna venture an opinioin now but may be subject to challenge from 'the great and the good' here on forum, but the cracks you refer to are likely to be 'hazard beams' (see Matthecks' "Body Language of Trees") and whilst common place I don't believe they are particularly prone to failure.

 

Secondly, if you do decide to proceed then 'yes' leaving a long stub (advocated in BS3998-2010 in certain circumstances) and teherby avoiding creating a large wound on the main stem, whilst probably aesthetically unpleasing, which would undoubtedly serve as an entry point for decay organisms partic at this time of year when they'll soon be sporrulating.

 

Another point to consider is I believe these cracks can be host to temp bat roosts, so need to be very careful not squash them if so.

 

Hope this helps.

Paul

 

youll put me outta job you keep that up!