In the last couple of years I've seen two conifers (at least one a
Leylandii) that had been tied to stakes with polythene rope when they
were comparatively small, and the rope never slackened, so that it cut
deep into the trunk as the tree grew.

But much to my surprise, on both occasions the trunk below the
strangle was considerably thinner than that above, roughly half as
thick I would say. Intuitively, I would have expected it to be the
other way around, as I would have thought the strangle would inhibit
the upward flow of sap, nutrients etc. to the trunk and branches
above.

What's the explanation?


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net