Reducing Maple Trees

[treeseer]

A brief photoessay on a reduction to mitigate risk due to a defect. pic 1 shows the defect, pic 2 before reducing the codom, pic 3 after, pic 4 the brushpile. The main leader was also side-reduced to allow the reduced codom to grow straighter and not spread as much.

Yes, the risk could have been reduced without reducing the lead as much, by cabling. but I also wanted to free up the tupelo across the driveway, and solve the potential problem permanently without anything artificial. Pics next, I'm out of time...

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's great the pics are so huge, thanks seerdood.

 

[treeseer]

I thought I read somewhere that ~200 was a good size, but they came out of my file @ ~ 600. Glad they work for you; my first time. Uh oh, my AS addiction may have just taken a jump, depending on the feedback...

 

[Lumberjack]

I dont have a problem with large pics, it says the size on there, the people on Dial up can see if they want to open or not.

As to the pics subject, I must study more before I comment.

 

[jason j ladue]

i have a hard time seeing what was done. cant tell before from after. (?) i dont see any cuts.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

i have a hard time seeing what was done. cant tell before from after. (?) i dont see any cuts.

That's how you know he did a good job!

 

[Treeman14]

In the brush pile pics, how big is that piece on the right side? About 6 inch? Its showing some defect, it seems. Were you able to get below that into sound wood? Acer rubrum is notoriously poor at compartmentalization. Are you subordinating this lead for eventual removal?

Jason, I think that was the point. Its not supposed to look like it was topped.

 

[treeseer]

In the brush pile pics, how big is that piece on the right side? About 6 inch? Its showing some defect, it seems. Were you able to get below that into sound wood?

* No. That piece was from a lower side branch, unrelated to the subordination. Decay went into the parent stem, which was too big to remove.

Acer rubrum is notoriously poor at compartmentalization.

* That notoriety is not always deserved. I've seen A. rubrum wall off quite well.

Are you subordinating this lead for eventual removal?

* Heavens no. It is intended to be a one-time, permanent transformation of a codom into a side branch.

Jason, the picture was taken from a distance, so all you can see in the after pic is the new piece of sky above the right-hand lead, in the maple which is on the left side of the driveway.

Here's a pic of a decayed portion i left in the tree. The black line to me shows codit, the location is at a node as evidenced by the other sprouts and the bulge and the old lateral scars, the total decayed area is <1/3 of the area, and the branch is not exposed to high wind, so I thought it would be ok to leave.

 

[jason j ladue]

That's how you know he did a good job!

HA! i knew somebody was gonna say that. :blob5: