pruning cuts right or wrong

[David Humphries]

I expect an informed reply from Monkey any time now :

 

I am currently formulating an opinion on this very issue, which will involve some experimentation at work.

So I'll get back to you in say.....5 to 10 years.

 

The answer is reliant on so many different variables that there is no black and white.

 

I think most if not all reasoning, has already been well touched upon by the previous posters.

ie; species, target, local environmental conditions, trees vitality etc.....

 

I'm no expert, more an avid observer of both nature and mans interaction with all things Arbor related.

 

We've all seen Oak/Hornbeam etc..... stubs developing strong wound wood around naturally retained dead wood.

 

Like wise we've all seen well intentioned and practiced NTP's, not callous over completely, and then develope associated decay.

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[18 stoner]

 

We've all seen Oak stubs developing strong wound wood around naturally retained dead wood.

 

.

 

I guess this comes back to what's been said about species specific, but could this be more apparent because of the length of time oak keeps its dead wood, and therefore having more callous around such stubs?

[David Humphries]

I found this facinating recently.

 

Whilst reducing down a previously created Beech Monolith (5 yr old) we uncovered during a fracturing, this retained stub core which had extensive saprophytic/white rot decay within the trunk, that has been compartmentalised.

Where as the external stub wood is still completelysound.

 

The second shot shows what appears to be beetle galleries, which I thought were closed with frass, but on closer inspection were full of mycelium.

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Edited April 11, 2009 by Monkey-D

[Tom D]

I found this facinating recently.

 

Whilst reducing down a previously created Beech Monolith (5 yr old) we uncovered during a fracturing, this retained stub core which had extensive saprophytic/white rot decay within the trunk, that has been compartmentalised.

Where as the external stub wood is still sound.

 

The second shot shows what appears to be beetle galleries, which I thought were closed with frass, but on closer inspection were full of mycelium.

.

 

Interesting Monkey, makes ntp look more like the way to go. Whats your experiment? I suppose being with an la give you the opportunity to do some quite interesting experiments.

[Dean Lofthouse]

With the trees in my wood which line the access road, I don't deadwood them as in completely deadwood them.

 

What I do is get the long silky pole and walk along the road, I hook over any deadwood and give them a gentle tug, if don't fall off I leave them. I think completely deadwooding in a woodland setting is robbing the dickie birds of a valuable food larder

 

The trees are mainly oak with sycamore in between

[David Humphries]

Interesting Monkey, makes ntp look more like the way to go. Whats your experiment? I suppose being with an la give you the opportunity to do some quite interesting experiments.

 

Will be selecting candidates from a wide selection of species in various growing/rooting conditions, and then carry out fracture, ring bark, flush and Ntp on the trees at various heights and within differing shade conditions.

 

Then return and record what happens over time.

 

 

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[David Humphries]

With the trees in my wood which line the access road, I don't deadwood them as in completely deadwood them.

 

What I do is get the long silky pole and walk along the road, I hook over any deadwood and give them a gentle tug, if don't fall off I leave them. I think completely deadwooding in a woodland setting is robbing the dickie birds of a valuable food larder

 

The trees are mainly oak with sycamore in between

 

 

Sounds like you execute your duty of care with a responsible balance and awareness for both sides of the fence Deano.

 

You've passed the test, d'ya want the job?

 

 

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[czhey]

Never read any of his books but didn't Shigo do a lot of research into different techniques flush cut, NTP and stubs etc?

[Dean Lofthouse]

Sounds like you execute your duty of care with a responsible balance and awareness for both sides of the fence Deano.

 

You've passed the test, d'ya want the job?

 

 

.

 

Got to think of them little dickie birds David

 

Another thing I do is put root balls from privets etc into piles the stack deadwood up round them like a little teepee. The wrens and robins love them