Pin Oak

I haven't the time to read this whole thread, but I think thsi last part is concerned with the pros and cons of filling cavities.

One con, is it gives a surface for wound wood to form, rather than 'rams horning' and causing a split. It has been used to good effect on ancient trees over here, with thin walls that need all the strength they can muster.

It may be just strong netting across the face of the cavity, or a foam fill.
 
Just a little remedial high school pysics.Water is most dense at 4 degrees centagrade.When it freezes,at o degrees it occupies less space.

I've never seen a tree split by internal ice,or a wooden barrel,for that matter.Now 20 tons of ice formed on the outside is a horse of a differant color,so to speak.
 
Tom;
The pipes I am referring too are drained.
If there's low spot where just a little water has a chance to gather it will split the pipe.
Pipes should have the water drained then blown out of them in the Fall to prevent any freezing as just a little can do damage.
Some people add antifreeze.
If I filled a pail with water here in the Fall there's a very good chance it wouldn't hold water come Spring.


On the topic of cavity repair I think this is one of the lessons that could be taught by students over a time span of twenty years or more in the field and in more than one area.
Each class could pass the project on to the next and they would have the opportunity to experiment with new products as they become available over the years.
I'm not an arborist but I see it as another attempt at advancing tree care and maybe saving a few valuable trees in the process.
That's all I know, I'm certainly not an authority on the subject.
Discussion is healthy.

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You've got the right idea Kevin. Tree research needs to cross generations. We need to think in tree time like Shigo says. A whack here and there in human time is insignificant. the results, in tree time, can be devastating.

Speaking of anti freeze, I read some articles years ago about people using ethylene glycol to stabilize decay in wooden boats. I have wondered if some application of eg might have potential as a wound treatment. EG has some phytotoxicity so there would be a potential trade-off between killing some viable tissue in order to control the decay in the long term. I imagine that this is along the lines of many cancer treatments that are used.
 
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