Douglas fir pruning

[DMc]

Good job, Reg. Tip weight reduction is one of the better things we can do for trees. I love pruning and spending all day climbing with a hand saw. It's a relaxing way to make a living.

 

[pete mctree]

Great overall shape Reg & it has retained a natural form too. I have never seen such a large conifer reduced & was sceptical of how it would appear afterwards.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Dave, interesting to read you saying that about your hand saw. I've done a fair amount of pruning with a hand saw, and often felt that I was doing it wrong because of that. Something light to have up in the tree....

 

[rbtree]

That's pretty amazing Reg. People down here very seldom go to that extent. Down here almost all Fir-pruning is done with spurs, and there are three main methods: 1) Spur up with pole saw, taught-line hitch and then rake out all the limbs as evenly as you can. (This is what all old-timers do, and they get some pretty amazing looking trees.) 2) Spur up with hand-saw (this is what Evergreen Tree Care Inc.--probably THE largest "tree-care" company in our area does every time) and completely and ridiculously lion-tail all of the limbs. 3) Spur up and alternately remove entire limbs. Fwiw this is what Buckin Billy Ray calls, "Spiral Pruning."

Unbelievably, ALL of these methods (just from what I've seen, and imHo --capital H--) actually do seem to provide effective minimization of wind-resistance, and retention of root-systems in big wind, but; I've just gotta say man... It was really, REALLY refreshing to see one being pruned that well.

Thanks a ton for the vid.

Agree. Jed. Except that there are a number of good companies that climb gaffless in our area. And, it's probably been 20 years since Scott Baker and I, and probably a few others, recognized that end weight reduction of conifers is the best way to prune them, for two reasons, of not more. It reduces limb failure, the largest problem with a healthy Douglas-fir...and it is the only acceptable pruning method to reduce wind throw risk..as conifer crown reduction is not acceptable, usually, due to it ruining the classic shape.

I also disagree re lions' tailing. It does zilch to make a tree resistant to failure and increases branch failure. Buty, typically Evergreen's guys don't even use pole saws. They simp-ly strip out the needed inner canopy with a wildly racing chainsaw...come down, and the foreman gets paid well for typically not even doing .
enough to be disastrous for the tree--in other words, a total waste of money by the client, and I tell them that every time I talk to one.

Spiral pruning can work, but can cause problems if a windstorm hits before the individually more exposed limbs get a chance to build reaction wood and strengthen. Another reason why EWR is the best, as limbs rely on each other for support and wind protection.

EWR is the best at reducing windthrow because it reduces the canopy footprint, and in a natural fashion, unlike topping or crown reduction. That said, I prefer to do it on more mature trees that have developed complex limbs, unlike the tree Reg showed that had younger straighter limbs. Those I will do some spiral pruning on sometimes. And, on a red cedar, I do a fair bit of limb removal as they typically don't break as much and the client usually wants more light.


That company is Evergreen. I will call them out any chance I get. Scott has turned them in to the Atty General for their abysmal work practices, and a good bud has called the police on their salesmen more than once for going through an open gate into his private community out near Duvall. Asshats they are.

 

[rbtree]

Oh,and, of course, to you go kudos for doing proper conifer work, Reg....

 

[Jed]

...Except that there are a number of good companies that climb gaffless in our area. ...

...I also disagree re lions' tailing. It does zilch to make a tree resistant to failure and increases branch failure...

Yeah, well... You've got a ton more experience up here than I do Roger, so I'd way rather go with your opinion than mine. Plus I hate lion tailing.

Yeah, I agree... Reg's tree looked awesome. A pruning job to actually celebrate.

Oh! I almost forgot to pick a bone on the spurless thing. Yes... there ARE a ton of guys who offer (and regularly perform) spurless pruning... trouble is... they're not even remotely close to competitive bidding... Thus... they don't get that much of the work, and thus... we at DAVEY spur every last Firpig that shows up on our clipboard.

 

[BOTS]

Just watched the vid Reg, very nice work on the fir!!

I love the after pic, looks really shaped well.

So it looks like you take on average about 3-4ft off end weight reduction?

 

[rbtree]

Sorrry, Jed, but that's ridiculous. Is Rick Castro still the foreman/lead at your office? I don't work that much these days, but, as long as I can get a line set, with the Wraptor, I, even at 67, can outwork 90% of any and every tree guy out there...my prices are fair, I prolly average at least $85 per manhr on pruning....but I rarely do EWR on young firs, as I stated before.... I typically will do it on older trees with long complex limbs that present numerous good target pruning spots.

 

[RegC]

Thanks again

Jed, I didn't get up the tree until about 2pm and we were finished, cleaned up and driving away at 5. So, I don't think spurring wouldve sped things up any. Spurring saves time when you have no branches to bypass....unlike this particular tree. So I was able to big shot 80ft and climb to that point uninterrupted without clipping and unclipping a whole bunch of times. To compare with or without spurs depends on the tree, the works specification and who's up there. I'll spurs fir trees if they're already being mutilated/topped on a forest edge, or marked for future harvest etc....but not as part of an aesthetic or retention pruning strategy. The spur marks are not so conspicuous in the lower, corse bark.....but when a climber starts punching holes all through the thinner bark a little higher, it looks pretty aweful in a residential area. I personally couldn't do that to my customers trees and tell them that was my best effort.

 

[RegC]

Not getting on your case Jed. Just saying how it is for me in my situation.

 

[RegC]

Some of the lowest limbs upto 7-8 ft, Scott, depending. Much less as you get higher, obviously. Thanks

 

[ruel]

Put that damn rope wrench to use Jed, I sent it out there for a reason!

Also, great looking tree Reg.

 

[rbtree]

By the way, at 67, and having done more technical work than 70-90% of tree companies or workers, I have earned the right to have an ego...plus, I have never been an unassuming quiet person like Reg, who simply goes out there and does cutting ass work, and develops tools to do it better and easier. So, if I toot my horn, know that I damn well know where I'm coming from and why.

Perhaps this rant is due to what we pulled off today.., which was by far the largest and heaviest aerial rigging I've ever done or seen done... what we did was heavier and longer than anything I've seen Reg rig.... and it was insane...mainly because the GRCS needed to be more solidly anchored to the rig tree. I'll continue this story after I download, edit and post up the results.... both video and stills which should hopefully show the rigging, which was nothing new or innovative, but was simply bigger than I've ever considered or seen attempted.

 

[rbtree]

Again, good work, Reg. That said, due to the versatility and flexibility that a pole saw offers, I usually fly with one attached to a sling and hanging below me. With one, I can quickly thing the duff all all along multiple branches from one spot, and, if properly positioned, can more easily reach the tips....Some fir limbs are simply too danged long to comfortably get to the tips, especially if the line angle isn't optimum, say near the climber's tie-in point. I used to get friction from Mickey, who was a quite good arb, as he eschewed pole saw use in a conifer. Hence, even though he was competent and agile, he didn't get out to or near the tips enough...and I, at 25-30 years his senior, could produce a far better pruned tree...maybe not faster, because I was and am more thorough, and patient, (usually)

Wait till you see what we rigged today...Whew....even you might be impressed...

 

[MasterBlaster]

Put that damn rope wrench to use Jed, I sent it out there for a reason!

Also, great looking tree Reg.

Post more, brother!

 

[RegC]

Better be good Rog. You've built it up now!

 

[Burnham]

That's good looking work Reg, and mighty fine climbing.

I know it would be a pain in the azz to move around the tree with, having done so more times than I can count...but you might consider putting a cone hook to work for that sort of task.

A cone hook is a 5 or 6 foot long handle, like a rake or push broom handle, with a bicycle hanger hook threaded into the end. We'd use them in almost every tree we picked cones from. What a cone hook allows you to do is reach down to the next lower one or two whorls of branches and pull the outer ends up to you. Pulling down doesn't work too well, but pulling up does. You would be able to get to more tips from each position you take in the crown, should make it faster.

 

[RegC]

Thanks Burnham. I've done the same with a pole pruner....pulled the limbs towards me when they're too big to snip, then sawn the ends off. A good winter technique, when it's wet and sloppy.

 

[Burnham]

Alrighty then .

One advantage to the cone hook is the very light weight, compared to a pole pruner...of course, there's no pruner head on it, so a disadvantage in that way.

Most tools involve some compromise, I suppose.

 

[sotc]

Finally on my computer so I could see the vid, Nice job

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Great job Reg! Top notch stuff

 

[Bodean]

Finally on my computer so I could see the vid, Nice job

Me too. Great work. Weird I can only see some vids in the tapatalk.

Rad vid. Fir tops, like another world.