Mature Tree Guying?

[FJR]

Here are a few pictures of a large Sycamore that we pruned today. It is a beautiful tree that provides a lot of shade to the southwest side of the house. There is a large structural defect about 1/3 of the way up ( I can stick my arm all the way to shoulder in it), with the crown leaning ever so slightly in favor of the house. The goal is to reduce the risk of failure and to keep the tree around as long as possible. Is it possible to guy a tree in similar fashion to a permanent structure, like a tower? There is room in the backyard for anchoring, although if there is enough or not all depends on what angles would be recommended for guying. I think even the littlest of support will go a long ways in this situation. The only guying guidelines I can find are for smaller trees. Would it be possible to use rigguy wire stops for attachment points? Or a sling style attachment point? What do you all think?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm trying to picture the guying scenero...

 

[Old Monkey]

What about a rope cable triangle down to the two good branches below the defect?

I think I'd want to cover the defect with wire mesh to keep critters from try to use it as a home and make it worse.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I'll bet there are good guying options from things that I've seen, but don't have any personal experience with such things.

Darin, how do you suppose critters would make it worse?

My neighbor's step father kept critters out of the apple trees in their orchard by putting rocks in the cavities. My neighbor found out after our recent ice storm. Guess how.

 

[Reddog]

Here is my .02

In order for tower type guying to work it would need to be tight at all times. Utilizing multiple level guys both above and below the defect in 1/3 diameter positioning.
Even then a tree can torsional load the guys from wind movement unlike a tower.
Bottom line I feel it would be very hard on the tree both physically and in appearance.

 

[SkwerI]

I agree with Wally. The way trees grow and bend in the wind, I can't see it helping. In fact if it's done without considerable foresight and planning, I can see it creating worse loads on the injury and possibly hastening its failure.

Sycamores compartmentalize very well and are often pollarded elsewhere. I would probably recommend some crown reduction above the injury to reduce weight and wind load. Leave enough limb area to encourage foliage growth so that the tree can still support the top as well as the callous growth around the wound. In situations like this I just go up there and let the tree tell me where to reduce.

 

[FJR]

Thanks for the help guys. Wally, those are very good points and that makes a lot of sense. A crown reduction may be the best answer.

 

[Old Monkey]

Sometime squirrels chew the tree where it starts callousing over, the can make cavities bigger and keep them from closing up. I see this in maples quite a bit, not so sure about sycamores.

 

[treelooker]

"I would probably recommend some crown reduction above the injury to reduce weight and wind load. Leave enough limb area to encourage foliage growth so that the tree can still support the top as well as the callous growth around the wound. In situations like this I just go up there and let the tree tell me where to reduce."

Totally agree. Crown above does not look huge, but 10% off would make a big difference. I've done tree-to-ground guying and it is not pretty or easy or cheap.

The wound wood looks so strong, I wonder if that 'defect" is stronger than a normal trunk would be.