How Long To Leave A Black Oak Lashed?

[lxskllr]

When I removed my locust last year(2020-11-25), I tied up the black oak that was growing next to it to encourage it to be straighter. The top wanted to be plumb, but the base was leaning towards the house. When would you estimate would be a good time to release it? The rope is unprotected on the stem. I don't think this needs to be a long term project. It was just something to get the tree used to it's new reality. I'll post the pic after submitting the post, cause it's on my phone.

the pic...

 

[Altissimus]

Though I have only trimmed one , Black Oaks Matter

 

[lxskllr]

Funny thing is I thought it was a white oak. Must be mixed :^P

Seriously though, I didn't realize they had two kinds of leaves. Broad rounded leaves on the bottom(shade leaves), and normal leaves up top(sun leaves). Don't see a lot of reference to it online either. I figured it out by not finding exactly what kind of white oak I had.

 

[SeanKroll]

Pad the string.




Release it a little, and see what happens.


I'd give it at least a growing season.

 

[Bodean]

Explore the presence of tension roots, you may have to guide one over there.

 

[Bermy]

Looks like it's still dominated by the tree you've tied it off to. Might need to do some pruning to let light through to your oak. Could be the camera angle though.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

The new wood built since the lashing has to be strong enought to conteract the old wood out of shape. Be patient. If you cut it loose too soon, the elasticity of the old wood will bend the new wood. It isn't as bad as it seems, because the new wood is in a more favourable position, being outside, and has a better leverage.

 

[lxskllr]

Looks like it's still dominated by the tree you've tied it off to. Might need to do some pruning to let light through to your oak. Could be the camera angle though.

I did something stupid with the camera. It isn't as leany as the pic indicates. The remaining locusts are blocking some light, but the cherry limb I just cut opened up a nice hole for it. It's tight in there, and the locusts are ready to come down, but I want to keep them a bit longer. Kinda playing it by ear. There's some pruning I want to do on them, but I'm not exactly sure how I'll do it.

 

[ruel]

A piece of junk garden hose is what I use for stem protection. You could slip a carpet scrap btw stem and rope.

I don't leave rope guys more than 3 years

 

[lxskllr]

Three years is definitely longer than I had in mind. 1-1.5 years was my guesstimate. Enough to say "Look, you can grow straight now", and get it started with a better habit. I'll check it out by this weekend. Let tension off, and see what it does. I'm pretty certain I'll leave it tight til November at least though. A growing season seems about right. Assuming I keep the line, I'll sleeve it, and re tension it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Two years

 

[SeanKroll]

Ease it off over a year, while you're at it.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Figure two winters and two summers. Let the cell structure start setting up to the different dynamics of your weather. Then start backing it off. re assess. Just my experience with our oaks here.