HELP with old cabled oak

[SINGLE-JACK]

While visiting relatives over Thanksgiving, I took these pix of an old cabled oak, about 50" DBH, cable at 30-40ft up. I do not do cabling so the question is: does this cable put the tree at risk? If so, any recommendations?

 

[treeseer]

While visiting relatives over Thanksgiving, I took these pix of an old cabled oak, about 50" DBH, cable at 30-40ft up. I do not do cabling so the question is: does this cable put the tree at risk? If so, any recommendations?

That's not cabling it's strangling ; yes it is at risk to snap where the wire dug into the bark. Recommend proper cable above that one and light reduction pruning..

 

[treemandan]

UUUUHHH, really? What did they find a piece of old pole guy cable laying on the curb?
If you want to try what Treeseer mentioned I recomend using dynamic tree support rope. Its so easy to do by yourself too, don't need all those tools and steel cable being sent up.

 

[lego1970]

That's a hell of a cable job

If it needed cabled before and now it's even further jeopardized by a hack cable job, I would vote for removal. If it's not removed now some poor sap in the future is gonna have to climb it when it may be even more structuraly unsound.

 

[treemandan]

That's a hell of a cable job

If it needed cabled before and now it's even further jeopardized by a hack cable job, I would vote for removal. If it's not removed now some poor sap in the future is gonna have to climb it when it may be even more structuraly unsound.

I think along those lines myself but this tree looks like it still has a good center lead to work off in that case.

 

[lego1970]

True and after looking at the pictures again the limbs look both smaller then I thought and more like a part of the crown rather then main leaders steming from low on the trunk.

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

Aw, that's sad. Sorry I can't help but thanks for sharing the images, got a ground view of the tree? Looks big.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Aw, that's sad. Sorry I can't help but thanks for sharing the images, got a ground view of the tree? Looks big.

The tree is huge - found a pic of it 5 years ago - the cable is high lighted in read:

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

The tree is huge - found a pic of it 5 years ago - the cable is high lighted in read:

Thankyou

I was wondering how you got that picture. Beautiful house. I'm gunna take a picture of these two amazing oaks near my house just because its nice to see large trees around the world. I'm definitely going to be checking in on this project!

 

[lego1970]

Ok, that is big and it does start out low on the trunk. Is that verticle line on the lower trunk part of the split? If that's the case I would take it down, otherwise as Treeseer said you could re position the cables the correct way and do some reduction on that left one, however because the last cable job was messed up, I would still vote for removal.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Ok, that is big and it does start out low on the trunk. Is that verticle line on the lower trunk part of the split? If that's the case I would take it down, otherwise as Treeseer said you could re position the cables the correct way and do some reduction on that left one, however because the last cable job was messed up, I would still vote for removal.

Found another 5 year old pic ... there certainly is a furrow down the main stem ... as to whether it is a split or not I don't know. The tree is 150+ miles away. I'll be making recommendations to the owner from input I receive here from the pro's.

 

[ziggo_2]

I vote to take it down. It would make that house look really good. It will raise the value of the house in two ways, 1. curb appeal-the tree is blocking the house too much in my opinion. 2. removal of hazardous tree-Trees in poor shape, topped, or in this case poor cabling are a hazard thus lowering the value of the house.

 

[jomoco]

If a properly installed steel cable can be placed well above the strangling cable, and is tensioned enough to lightly slacken the old one?

I see no reason the older cable can't be removed once the new cable is in.

Do not try and remove the actual encircling old cable on each trunk, simply sever it twice with a very sharp chisel, at points 180 degrees apart on the 360 encirclement, and leave it in place. Don't try to dig out the encircling cable in the trunk.

If done properly, the prognosis for the old oak is very good in my opinion.

Nice tree, well worth saving, no doubt.

Sub it to a cabling expert who knows what he's doing, uses steel cables and throughbolts, and doesn't use that synthetic cobra crap.

Good eye Single Jack!

jomoco

 

[treeseer]

sounds like a plan Jon, but it sure would be nice to see that fork.

The tree's a huge asset, for cooling power alone.

Where in MD is it?

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

sounds like a plan Jon, but it sure would be nice to see that fork.

The tree's a huge asset, for cooling power alone.

Where in MD is it?

Cooling as is shade for the house? And good question.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

sounds like a plan Jon, but it sure would be nice to see that fork.

The tree's a huge asset, for cooling power alone.

Where in MD is it?

Acutally the house (tree) is in SW VA.

 

[treeseer]

Cooling as is shade for the house?

Shade plus transpirational cooling and convectional currents caused by transpiration. Sit under an oak tree in July; you'll feel it if you are still.

O, like Roanoke area?

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Shade plus transpirational cooling and convectional currents caused by transpiration. Sit under an oak tree in July; you'll feel it if you are still.

O, like Roanoke area?

About an hour away. Out of respect for the HO's privacy, I'm reluctant to be too specific in an open forum. If you (or anyone) would like to bid on cleaning up this problem, PM me with your contact info. I'll forward it to the HO and leave it to the two of you.

 

[treeclimber101]

Cut the cable that system that ain't worth nothing that looks like skinned extension cord , that tree didn't need one in the first place a little pruning is worth any cable and less damaging , the tree swallowed that cable a long time ago and the damage is done , so why remove it?

 

[PinkFloydEffect]

Thankyou

I was wondering how you got that picture. Beautiful house. I'm gunna take a picture of these two amazing oaks near my house just because its nice to see large trees around the world. I'm definitely going to be checking in on this project!

170.4" Girth @ 4.5Ft.

223.2" Girth @ 4.5Ft.

If these Oaks are fine without a cable I can't see why your tree woulden't unless you have rot. These are White Oaks I believe, I know they are definitely Oaks.