Fruit tree holding on by a thread, client wants to get another year out of it. Thoughts?

evo said:
I have some language in there that I wrote up from subbing to be the arborist on staff for a bigger infrastructure project in town.
Basically their language had it where I was liable for everything when onsite. Some pretty gross shit occurred so I spent 90% of my billable hours on an attorney to make sure I could get out clean.

Theoretically it involved a lot of root pruning and practices of trying to do the best for the trees while 30-40% of root systems were destroyed.

Long winded way of saying yes certainly write something up as these situations come up! First tree I cabled and did a crazy amount of preservation work uprooted about a year afterwards. Nothing I did other than cable a cracked stem, maybe that was enough to mess with its mass dampening but I doubt it.
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Definitely doesn’t hurt to cover yourself!
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Also slightly more off topic, I was wondering if anyone includes some sort of clause in their contract or estimate regarding not being able to guarantee long-term tree health after pruning or not being liable for tree issues, etc.?

To be more specific, I was thinking about situations where you prune a tree, and you know the way you pruned it is beneficial for the tree, but you also can’t guarantee nothing will happen to that tree down the road just from nature (insect, disease, etc). So it’s sort of like you’re protecting yourself from someone coming back and saying you damaged their tree or something.
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No
 
Aside from the post / wood options or cabling / rods for bracing fruit trees, do you think there are some situations where a chord similar to that could be used to add support to a small long gangly limb or branch that doesn’t have a lot of weight to it but could be susceptible to breaking from ice / snow or heavy fruit; securing back to a stronger limb or the trunk? Or instead of securing to another limb or the trunk, running the chord up from the branch to provide lift / support and then going through a crotch higher up and then down to the ground to tie to a stake?

Assuming you’re careful not to choke any part of the tree obviously.

I’m thinking more along the lines of younger trees with smaller limbs and branches, not thicker mature ones like some of the pictures in here.

Just a thought I had when I saw the chord…
 
climbingmonkey24 said:
Aside from the post / wood options or cabling / rods for bracing fruit trees, do you think there are some situations where a chord similar to that could be used to add support to a small long gangly limb or branch that doesn’t have a lot of weight to it but could be susceptible to breaking from ice / snow or heavy fruit; securing back to a stronger limb or the trunk? Or instead of securing to another limb or the trunk, running the chord up from the branch to provide lift / support and then going through a crotch higher up and then down to the ground to tie to a stake?

Assuming you’re careful not to choke any part of the tree obviously.

I’m thinking more along the lines of younger trees with smaller limbs and branches, not thicker mature ones like some of the pictures in here.

Just a thought I had when I saw the chord…
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That cord is just for training branches downward. It will get moved seasonally.



Temporary props are easy.

Cord is possible, but generally unneeded.

I aim to prune to a self-supporting shape for most loads. Heavy fruit years will get some branches or boards as props more that the occasional fruit-weight supporting prop.


The more you support the tree, the less wood it grows, the more it focuses on reproduction.






Did you check out the Oregon Cooperative Extension Service PNW400 publication?




$8.49 used
 
Yes, it’s a totally valid tree training practice. And with the questions regarding winter/snow/ice, yes. Essentially a dynamic cabling system, check out the euro cabling standards and the various manufacturers manuals.

Staking and tying to move limbs are common, that and adding weights too!
Weights may arguably be better at they allow more movement and reactionwood to develop.

Those little milk boxes that came with school lunches work great for a mold. Just fill the empty jug with cement and a wire tie. Make a few sets of various weights. Easy to install and adjust as needed.
 
Cannabis plants also respond dramatically to this kind of training. Even if you don't partake, it's just an immensely satisfying plant to grow and play with.
 
I've seen a couple of times with Greek and Italian older generation where they build multiple simple sticks in the ground but connect them together with cross pieces at the top to make a framework, even for the entire crown of the tree, to hold up overweight fruit loads. One time I had to remove a birch centered in and overtop of multiple of these. Fun. Not.
 
Helping my neighbor with very neglected orchard trees as part of my day. 10' ladder.
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Opposite side before17742208347171039691611999015958.webp


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This one by the shed is ganoderma-ridden, so got a large reduction.
20260322_171949.webp
 
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