"Shigo V-Cut"

treelooker

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I've been pruning trees for 50 years, but just heard this term for the first time.

Anyone know what it means? Never saw where Shigo used the term, but i might have missed something.
 
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  • #6
Bob yes it does refer to line clearance. The transition from roundover pruning has been painful. utilities used to do more of a "U-Cut", clearing only a short distance below the wires. Then some began to deep-dive, taking off branches way below the lines, and even below the bundle of communications wires. This results in huge wounds, imbalance, and
high risk, which are worsened after sprouts are removed on the next visit.

I'm trying to encourage a return to U-cutting, and directional pruning on the regrowth. The pushback is fierce, but no one can tell me why V-cutting way beyond clearance limits (MVD) is necessary, or even desirable. I'm afraid that Alex might be spinning cartwheels if he saw cuts like this made in his name!
IMG_3425 (Small).JPG
IMG_3459 (Small).jpg
IMG_3445 (Small).jpg
 
Guy, you are going to love it here.
After the " Storm of the century" in 99 that left most of the country without power for a long while, we've put evrything below 4 Kv in the ground and those will go under in a few years.
No more line clearing here.
 
Not much, Butch.
We have several companies supplying electricity and they compete really hard on prices.
It was certainly not in their best interest when the lines went down in 99.
Hard to sell juice when you can't deliver.
 
Yeah, plus the lines are really ugly. Not to mention annoying and very dangerous for those in our line of work.
 
Some of the best climbers I've worked with came from Wright. I think it's a great way to start out, you MUST learn control.
 
I think he mentioned it in his publication about the 90-3-90 concept of line clearance. 90% of the time 3 cuts will eliminate 90% of the problem. The idea was to replace 100 small wounds with 3 larger ones.
 
Guy, can we get a fuller picture of your second shot? It does not appear the the angle of the picture that the tree is unbalanced or risky.
 
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