plumbroken said:
Heavy snow cracked three main branches on our Japanese plum tree .
Picture attached .
Can one be helped to heal by clamping with huge hose clamps ?
Picture attached.
Either hire an experienced reputable tree service with knowledge of proper cabling and bracing techniques or cut it back to a lateral branch or cut it all the way back to the main trunk.
If you insist on attempting to repair it yourself, and are capable of doing it safely, buy a book on arboricultural cabling and bracing, then do the following after reading the book:
Install a 1/4 inch cable with drop forged 1/2 inch galvanized eyebolts at each end, these eyebolts must be long enough to go all the way through both the broken branch and the main trunk of the tree with large galvinized washers and nuts in place at the termination points. The book will guide you on proper angles tools and tensioning of the cable to be installed.
Install the cable 2/3rds of the way out on the broken branch, not at the break itself. Try to get the branch back to it's original position before it broke with cable tensioning.
Once the cable has been successfully installed and the branch is back to it's original position, I suggest you rod the break itself with two 1/2 inch galvinized tree rods. Drill the holes for the rods with a 9/16 drill bit from the bottom of limb and exiting the top. The spacing between the two holes should be at 1/3 and 2/3rds the length of the fracture itself. Insert the rod sections in the holes place washers and nuts on both top and bottom of each rod and tighten slowly until it squeezes the fractured wood back together, then cut off excess rod with a hacksaw a 1/4 inch above the nuts, then use a hammer to mushroom the 1/4 inch of rod so the nuts can't work themselves loose and fall off.
Oh, I almost forgot, the cambium or bark should be excised below each washer on the rods and eyebolts on the cable. Once your holes are drilled, place the rods or eyebolts through the holes, place your washers on the eyebolt or rod, slide it up against the bark and use a sharp carpetknife to gently cut a perfect circle around the washer, remove the washer and pry out the circle of bark and cambium tissue, then replace the washer and screw on the nuts etc. This process aids the tree in covering the washer and nut with new cambium and bark overtime.
Obviously this is a somewhat complicated and time consuming process, and installing temporary simple rope to support the broken branch in the same spot the cable will go should be your first move to insure the branch is still there after you go through the expense and effort to save it.
Read the book and be sure not to rely on the broken branch for any support whatsoever, use an A frame ladder or lift apparatus to safely position yourself to do the work.
Your best bet is to hire an experienced professional to do it for you.
I have successfully cabled and rodded breaks as bad or worse than yours many times, it's amazing how well these trees can recover from serious injuries with a little help from a proffessional tree surgeon.
Good luck with your tree!
Work Safe
jomoco