veteran tree management

[biggun]

We call them Holm Oaks in the Uk. Quercus Ilex. Evergreen oak.

They have tremendously heavy timber and are a bit of a nightmare to reduce correctly. Basically my experience on them is they will take twice as long as you think to do the work.

I have removed some hefty ones back in the UK. They also love sea and coastal regions. There were lots planted on the South coast by Victorians who collected samples on walkabout. Gnarly AF and twisted from the coastal winds. Nice trees.

Good work on the props. That one looked a beauty.

 

[gf beranek]

Hooker Oak (Q. lobata) in Bidwell Park. Chico, Ca. Showing one of the props on the big arm. Supposedly the State Champ (spread) before falling in 1977. Postcard says 56 ft. but that's not correct. There's a few more around just as big and taller.

 

[Naturarbo]

so this is the result, first inspection climb.
What do you think???

 

[Mick!]

Nice work, benches have taken a bit of punishment though.

Worth doing, might get another couple of hundred years out of them..

 

[Naturarbo]

@Mick! that happened when the branch came down,they are being moved away from the drip line, hope 1 day you come to Pt and we will have a cold beer under or up on ittree preservation rocks

 

[Mick!]

@Mick! that happened when the branch came down,they are being moved away from the drip line, hope 1 day you come to Pt and we will have a cold beer under or up on ittree preservation rocks

look forward to it.

 

[stig]

I gotta say, you did a really fine job on that tree.

 

[ruel]

That is quality work. Very nicely done Looks like a delightful tree to climb

 

[Naturarbo]

@stig get toghether with @Mick for that beer.
@ruel come over you dont need climbing kit, can take 1 of mine
After 1 year with the props, if there is enough development another slight reduction will be done.

 

[Bermy]

Top job!
How have you grounded the bases of the props, and how have you fastened them to the branches?

 

[Naturarbo]

@Bermy base is 20mm of..not sure about name but this type of laminated wood goes in water and doesnt rot 50cmx50cm, top anchors are first drilled about 10 cms from top on the props and tied with rope, when placing the supported branches were pushed 5cms up, so that the props actually take the weight

 

[Bermy]

Thanks!
Again, great job 👍

 

[Mick!]

Ancient yew we did some lifting of the canopy to and some major deadwood.
left loads in there for character.
All power pruner stuff, nothing major.

 

[Mellow]

Nice! Do you have any idea how old that tree is?

 

[Mick!]

Not really, as a guess between 4/500 years

 

[lxskllr]

Impressive tree. What kind of vine are you leaning against?

 

[Mick!]

Good eye!
It was an ivy that had somehow made a living on this tree, there was a small patch of it in the canopy.
I cut that stem after the photo.

 

[Naturarbo]

Update on south european oak.


# Some strong winds came and prop n5 has moved, ripped a hole in the lower/side of branch visible on pic 1


# A climb was required...and what fun that was


# Readjusted the prop pic 2


# Came down to center of this giant and found my reward👍 2 new sets of leaves, total of 9 of them in the inside/center of the tree pic 3


# This new leaves are facing south where the branch fell off, in here this type of tree, with this stress, the sun, the drought...gentlemen, I believe that this 9 leaves are the light at the end of the tunnel for this oak


LONG LIVE THE OAK

 

[Bermy]

Any thought to put some padding of some kind between the prop and the branch?

 

[Naturarbo]

@Bermy after this scratch I wonder if I should lighten the top of the branch by light pruning and supress the prop?
Others props seem to have really set well in their spots.
Willl load some pics soon from that

 

[Bermy]

Keep in mind your mass/energy ratio on such an old wounded tree. The least amount of further damage to it (including pruning) the better for a while.
To a certain extent new growth is being fed by stored reserves, so retaining photosynthetic capacity is essential to 'replenish the bank'
Slow, careful progress, and it's lovely to see the care you are giving it!!

 

[Marc-Antoine]

A trick from Pantheraba ( if I remember right):
put a strong nail or bolt with the head cut off, straight in line at the top of the prop, sticking out by an inch or so. Lay the limb on top of it and the nail/bolt wil sink in the wood and keep the prop in place. Though, with such an hard wood like the live oak, you may have to drill a small hole for it under the limb previously. After a while, the new wood grows around and freezes the prop in place. The wind can blow, the prop will stay here.

 

[SeanKroll]

Consider if wind will lift the limb. A through- bolt may be needed with an embedded ground anchor.

I would drill a hole for the bolt in the underside, at least.