Scots Pine #35 - serious operation to improve trunk line

Walter Pall

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Scots Pine #35 - Improving trunk movement of a very old Scots pine. The time now is very good for this operation - at least in my area. The greasy stuff is milking fat, very cheap very effective , will go away by itself after a few months. This fat is for the tits of the cows just before milking.This kind of operation is not really as risky as it looks like. But there is , of course, always some risk involved in this kind of thing. It would not be a good idea to cut off unneeded foliage or even start seriously styling the crown. The tree has to rest a year and then we will see.1.jpg2017-07-2017002700.JPG2017-07-2017002700-1.JPG2017-08-SAL_9626w.jpg2017-08-SAL_9627w.jpg2018-07-.jpg2019-08-TSB_0952w.jpg2019-08-TSB_0953w.jpg2019-08-TSB_0955w.jpg2019-08-TSB_0956w.jpg
 

Paul G

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Walter, will the cut sides of the trunk fuse and eventually heal, or will the tree from now on be relying on the uncut vein on the opposite side, similar to a juniper?
 

Walter Pall

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Walter, will the cut sides of the trunk fuse and eventually heal, or will the tree from now on be relying on the uncut vein on the opposite side, similar to a juniper?

The idea is that it will heal over and the two sides of callous will meet each other and fuse. It does not always work like this. But still the tree usually can survive. Just think that I could have made a shari taking off one third of the bark on one side. Serious indeed, but as most would know the tree usually survives it. It happens in nature during every storm and forests are still there.



BTW, I have a theory that the milking fat is better than most other stuff because it serves as a bridge between the two sides that should grow together. There could be some communication through the fat. Vaseline instead of milking fat is also fine.
 

Tieball

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Always interesting and educational. Thanks for highlighting the work on this tree.
 

Saddler

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The idea is that it will heal over and the two sides of callous will meet each other and fuse. It does not always work like this. But still the tree usually can survive. Just think that I could have made a shari taking off one third of the bark on one side. Serious indeed, but as most would know the tree usually survives it. It happens in nature during every storm and forests are still there.



BTW, I have a theory that the milking fat is better than most other stuff because it serves as a bridge between the two sides that should grow together. There could be some communication through the fat. Vaseline instead of milking fat is also fine.
So would milking fat/Vaseline be useful to seal the wound when approach/thread grafting?
 

Walter Pall

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Some folks say that this kind of cut should be made in spring. I disagree. In spring and early summer the trunk is full of sap and snaps easily. The bark on the opposite side of the cut would brake open easily.
Some folks say that it should be done during the dormant period. I disagree. The tree should be in a position to heal the damage very quickly. In late summer it will heal the fastest. Why? Because the tree has nothing else to do. The foliage for this year is done, the buds for next yer are set. The tree can concentrate on storing energy and fatten branches, trunk and roots - or heal wounds and have callous grow quickly.
 

BonjourBonsai

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I've been thinking of doing something similar with a maple to create taper. It's got a telephone pole straight trunk. Instead of cutting across the trunk though, I would make an incision parallel to the trunk, starting thin and increasing to about a quarter of the trunk. I would then close the incision by pushing the edges together wrapping it with raffia and holding it using strap clamps. It sounds like the bark would heal but I wonder if it would be too much stress on the bark that is stretched. Apologies for hiding this thread. I'll start a new one when I do it. Would you suggest late summer to do the work? Thanks for your thoughts.
 

Walter Pall

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I've been thinking of doing something similar with a maple to create taper. It's got a telephone pole straight trunk. Instead of cutting across the trunk though, I would make an incision parallel to the trunk, starting thin and increasing to about a quarter of the trunk. I would then close the incision by pushing the edges together wrapping it with raffia and holding it using strap clamps. It sounds like the bark would heal but I wonder if it would be too much stress on the bark that is stretched. Apologies for hiding this thread. I'll start a new one when I do it. Would you suggest late summer to do the work? Thanks for your thoughts.
I would not recommend it. This method is for pines. A maple trunk might get harmed and will always have a very ugly wound.
 
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