Tying into Bradford pear

[Saddle]

I need to remove (quantity 2) 4" diameter limbs that are over hanging a house. Rodents are making entry into the attic

Planning on canopy anchoring a main stem that's roughly 15" diameter (30' up). I have pruned Bradfords from the ground, but never climbed one. Is this 15" tie in strong enough? I'm well aware of Bradford's fragility, which is why I'm asking. No access to a bucket at this location.

Thanks !

 

[lone wolf]

I need to remove (quantity 2) 4" diameter limbs that are over hanging a house. Rodents are making entry into the attic

Planning on canopy anchoring a main stem that's roughly 15" diameter (30' up). I have pruned Bradfords from the ground, but never climbed one. Is this 15" tie in strong enough? I'm well aware of Bradford's fragility, which is why I'm asking. No access to a bucket at this location.

Thanks !

Well we just cut one down and the limbs were hitting the road were about 12 inches (ca. 30 cm) and they were all breaking apart and splitting. Be careful.

 

[ZinTrees]

heres an old picture of me tied into a 3" limb in the top of one, this was after half of it split and fell on the guys roof, had to rig and lift half of the tree off the same spot I was tied into, so yes it worked, but then again it split at a 20" diameter section, bradfords decay pretty easy and they are a weak tree to begin with
a 15" tie in would give me the warm fuzzies, but thats assuming its solid, if there was any hint of rot I probably wouldn't go up the tree at all, unlike pine or oak where I will be fine tying into a couple 4-6" limbs that havent had bark in 2 years, ive been up a few dead pines with cracks all they way up them and felt safer than some live bradfords

big thing is just don't climb it on a windy day

pic on the right was a dead silver maple that was rotten from the middle out, cut and toss limbs over the fence, 4" limbs that were 8ft long would just blow apart when I threw them, not even a shock or jolt, just turned to dust, its not a bradford but it gives an idea of how fragile trees can get with decay

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Provided it is healthy overall, 15" should be fine. If it makes you more comfortable though, just set up a secondary T.I.P. you're rigging points will receive more stress, and definitely keep them separated from your lifeline.

 

[pdqdl]

In addition to the happy logger's invariably fine advice, I would be inclined to prune off a little weight going up the tree. There aren't too many Callery pears that only need a couple of branches pruned. Take off some weight going up, and you shouldn't need to worry about what you are adding personally.

Also: evaluate the anchor point on that 15" branch. If it doesn't look prominently weak, it probably isn't.

NOTE: Many trees identified as "Bradford" aren't actually a true "Bradford pear". This designation is only for one variety of an imported species correctly called "Callery pear". That tree you are looking at might be a Chanticlear, Aristocrat, or one of the other common varieties. All the customers seem to know them as Bradford's, and I don't try to educate them all.