Developmental Problem with Northern Catalpa

[BillyB]

Hi,

My wife loves catalpa blossoms. I think they're pretty swell too. We count ourselves lucky to have a volunteer sapling on our property and I'm trying to encourage it. Unfortunately, an important structural branch at the base of the crown partially broke from the trunk about a year ago after a neighboring tree fell on it. In response, I strapped it up again to see if the union would heal. Last weekend, I acted on my impulse to remove the strap to see what good it did. It seems to me the joint healed alright but you can judge for yourself after reviewing the photos below. The problem is, the tree seems to have relied on the artificial support to put more foliage on than the limb ought to support naturally.

The branch itself is very supple and droops under its own weight when better form would dictate it be more upright. Did I somehow screw up? Perhaps, the timing of strap removal ought to be different. Do you have any recommendations for how I might encourage a stronger, healthier, and better formed branch?

thanks for reading and advice in advance!

Bill

 

[Del_]

I would reduce the weight on that limb and plan for a complete limb removal in a few years. Reducing the branch will slow its growth and the tree will start to wall it off.

I'd cut at the three yellow lines I've drawn. I'm sorry, I see I've cut the same twig twice. That is what I'd do.

 

[BillyB]

Thanks Del! I hate to lose that limb but your advice seems reasonable and a more gentle way of removing the limb than lopping the whole thing off at once now. I surmise there's no way to harden or strengthen and reshape it while bearing its current load. Am I right?

Is your recommendation to remove the whole limb in the future certain or will it depend upon how things develop? If the latter, can you describe what signs will indicate its time to remove it? How far into the future would you guess?

Regarding that branch with two cuts; I'm thinking first I'll make the furthest cut from the trunk along with the second branch, see how much the limb springs back and, if I feel I need to relieve more weight make the other cut closer to the trunk as well but, if not, stop there. Would you agree?

 

[Del_]

I agree. You can't go too far wrong in the reduction of that limb.

In the future that is going to be a large tree and that lower limb will either be pruned off or the tree will shed it on it's own most likely.

 

[BillyB]

Thanks for your insights Del! This little limb on this little tree might imply a little case but the tree will get bigger, as you say, and the principles you've shared can be applied elsewhere. I've learned somethings here and appreciate the time you took to communicate them.