On Mon, 17 Mar 2003 13:24:31 GMT, Pam wrote:



"N. Zitney" wrote:

We have a Japanese Maple which we just discovered is split down the millde
of a "Y". I'm assuming the heavy snows here in Delaware were the cause.
What should I do to try and preserve this beautiful tree?
And thank you in advance for help, I know I'll get it - You always come thru
for me,
Nan Zitney

Japanese maples often develop tight crotches (boy, does that look funny when
written!) which can split relatively easily in rough weather. While this can be
a serious problem for larger, faster growing maples, it does not seem to be a
fatal injury for the smaller Asian maples. Depending on how deep the split is,
I'd be inclined to leave it alone and let the tree heal itself. If it is
possible to somehow close the split by bracing the two adjacent branches
together, do so, although this really should be done as soon after the injury
occurs as possible. The tree may have already started to callus over the wound,
preventing the wound from sealing. If in doubt about how deep or severe the
injury is, call a qualified arborist to come out and do a health assessment.

pam - gardengal

This wound will not "heal," nor will the two sides of the split ever
rejoin together. It may be true that such a small tree will be able
to continue without breaking even if no treatment is applied, but I
suggest a little hardware to help support the damaged union. This is
assuming a roughly equal amount of wood is still holding on both sides
of the split.

A good arborist (search for ISA Certified Arborists by ZIP code at the
link from my sig below) should be able to help you with this, but if
you are handy with tools it shouldn't be hard to manage yourself. You
want to put a steel rod through the trunk at or just above the split,
then add a small cable about 2/3 of the way up from the crotch to the
top of the branches. If the split is standing open, you can pull the
two sides together with rope (installed high in the branches for
better leverage) before adding the rod. Drill through both sides of
the split and put threaded steel rod through the hole (1/4" rod should
be plenty for a small tree--drill 5/16"), add a flat washer and nut to
each side, and tighten. Older references suggest cutting a circle of
bark to seat the washer in, but current thinking is that the
compression will kill that circle and make a "cork washer" naturally,
so just crank the nuts down tight--no need to go overboard, but get it
tight enough to support the weight of the branches. If the split is
very deep, you may need to add a second rod (at least one of which
should be above the split--get a very long drill bit so you can get
through both sides with one shot, so you know the two sides line up
exactly).

Next comes the cable. You can buy 1/4" rod with eyes at one end.
Drill through the branches on either side and secure the eye bolt with
a nut and washer as before. 1/16" steel cable is adequate for a small
tree. You will buy two or three cable clamps and a thimble for each
side. A good hardware store can help you locate and understand these
various items if you aren't familiar with them. The cable should not
be tight. It is only intended to keep the branches from moving
farther apart, not to pull them back together. When the tree is fully
leafed out, the cable should be just taut; when the leaves are off
(and the load lighter) the cable should sag slightly. Depending on
the tree's structure, you may want two or more cables to get a
balanced distribution of the weight (if the branches fork above the
split, a cable on only one side could cause them to twist under load,
which would worsen the problem).

Looking back over this, it sounds more complex than it really is.
Still, if it's a very nice specimen, it may be worth the extra cost
to have a pro evaluate the situation. Most arborists I know would
charge a reasonable consultation fee and explain the process to you so
you could do it yourself, if you were so inclined.

Good luck,

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-236
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html