Two fat Sycamore

[NickfromWI]

48 and 52" DBH. I like the trees. This can be one of those threads where you all (especially Jomoco) tells me how dumb I am for not cutting them down. Have a look see

https://youtu.be/hQSNENba4qc

love
nick

 

[MasterBlaster]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hQSNENba4qc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Are those what you are looking at to support with steel?

 

[NickfromWI]

Oh god no!


love
nick

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Ok... Just wondered. That leader on th left looks more balanced in the canopy. Or is it an optical illusion.

 

[flushcut]

Thin them out and walk away.

 

[Jed]

Of course all this stuff just boils down to the particular philosophy Nick. If "safety" is the summum bonum, cut them down. If aesthetics... leave them alone. In my opinion the trees should stay, cause they look cool. But what sort of nervous nellies you may be working for... I don't know. It's up to you, brother.

In my less than humble opinion, in arboriculture, way too much is claimed in the name of, "end-weight reduction."

 

[DMc]

Nick, the above ground tree parts look typical for the species, they often grow at an angle with their trunks resting on the ground. Light, tip-weight reduction trimming should be all they need, as in reduction cuts not thinning.

I would want to know a lot more about the tree/soil interface. Does that ring have a footing and how long has it been there. It looks like the grade has been changed, if so how many years? Even though P.racemosa grows in riparian areas, it still prefers good drainage. Do some digging and get a clear understanding of the soil profile, and not just 6" deep.

In this situation, as in many, what is happening underground could be of great significance.

 

[DMc]

...In my less than humble opinion, in arboriculture, way too much is claimed in the name of, "end-weight reduction."

This is where discussion forums like this rock! I believe that tip work, if the dose is appropriate and has a goal that coincides with the tree's genetics and the site needs, is one of our most useful tools. Far more beneficial than thinning in most situations.

 

[pantheraba]

If the tree is leaning enough to crack that ring, doesn't that mean the roots/ground is "giving way" or shifting to some degree?

How much distance has the trunk moved since the ring was built? Did it drop 6 inches in a week or overnight?

Why don't you pull that ring under the tree away so there is a few inches separation...measure it and then come back in a day or so and see if that distance has changed. Or if it can't be pulled then bust the ring out under the tree to create the distance. Seems you need to know how much support the ring provides (if any) and get a feel for if the tree is moving any more...you need a base line for it's position.

My suspicion is that it is not the trunk strength that is the biggest issue but the base support system.

I like the trees...I'm sure the owners are fond of them.

I'll be curious to see what thoughts are offered here to mitigate the risk.

 

[treelooker]

Agree with DSMc. Inspect the root collar. Good job Nick in assessing tree response concurrent with the decay; looks like strength loss is compensated for, ++. Not sure tomography is that useful here. Gary, the cracking might be due just to trunk expansion maybe?

"In my less than humble opinion, in arboriculture, way too much is claimed in the name of, "end-weight reduction."" What is your opinion based on? Lever arm is a pretty big deal, in physics.

Reduce sprawl, 10% of crown. More if root issues are found (beyond the obvious girdling of stems).

 

[pantheraba]

Gary, the cracking might be due just to trunk expansion maybe?

"In my less than humble opinion, in arboriculture, way too much is claimed in the name of, "end-weight reduction."" What is your opinion based on? Lever arm is a pretty big deal, in physics.

10-4 on trunk expansion...had not considered that. I assumed someone would build a ring like that far enough away to allow for expansion but assuming gets us in trouble sometimes. Maybe the owner has pictures that give an idea of what happened there with the cracks.

Nick said the owner called because the "trees are leaning"...they had to have been "leaning" a long time, seems to me...something changed in the lean to get their attention apparently.

That is a lot of lever arm...somebody had a signature line..."gravity is the law, not a theory". Physics is the real ruler.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I am sure they fit just fine and were cute as a button when they were planted Gary

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hahahaaa, no shit!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Nick said the owner called because the "trees are leaning"...they had to have been "leaning" a long time, seems to me...something changed in the lean to get their attention apparently.

Looks like there was a third lead at one time and it fell over. Just me looking from a puter screen

 

[pantheraba]

hahaha...10-4 on cute as a button

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Looks like they need that ring removed and the root zone improved.

Looks like someone end-weight reduced that a little while back. Decades?

How high of occupancy is the road? What part of the tree could reach it, if it breaks at the ground?


From my office chair, it looks like a mal-treated tree that need root care more than crown care.