Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
Here is a pic of a cavity. Since research shows that woundwood in red maple is 40% tougher than normal wood, the formula must be adjusted for this type of cavity:
JOurnal of Arboriculture, July 2003, page 209-218.Originally posted by JeffE
What does "strength" mean in that context?
Resistance to failure.
Of course, if it resists bending too much, it could lead to failure in the "real world."
Since the woundwood developed in response to real world stresses, I generally think not.
Guy, got a journal citation?
I've read the same, and agree. I call this "flexing" and do it regularly. Maybe I'll tie an old rope into the top of this maple and tell the client to pull on it a few times a day. This is one guy who would probably do it, too.Originally posted by Mike Maas
It's the exposure to movement that strengthens it. By reducing strain, you're signaling the tree not to support itself as much.
This is true, and one more factor that goes into the decision of where to make reduction cuts.
How about tieing ropes to the top of the tree and shaking it real hard once a month? I've seen experiments on small trees that did this exact thing and grew a stronger tree.
Absolutely. A little reduction of tips yields a great reduction in leverage. And heavy ends on the sunny side are the ones that get the most off, keeping in mind the need to turn light into sugar.Originally posted by TheTreeSpyder
If we have lost so much strength, do to a leveraged position injury; tree is out of balance of pulls perhaps, and might be lightened,...high leveraged branches. Especially on the sun side, or going to a heavier weight bearing season.
No worries there. mate. I excavated the cavity so I could measure it with a tape measure.Originally posted by Mike Maas
Just so some fool doesn't come along with a resistograph and start punching holes through those walls.
Making reduction cuts to subordinate the defective limb was necessary. This pruning work was not crown reduction per se because it was a small % of the total crown, and it allowed more stable branches to dominate, and they will fill in the void in short order.Originally posted by Mike Maas
prolonged exposure to greater movement has strengthened these perimeter trees over the years.
No dobt, because the trees were flexed they are stronger.
If there were a bigger pocket of decay and a target,
The target is the house and the client is hyperconcerned.
then I might consider reduction as a last resort. doing a crown reduction on such a tree seems counter productive.
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