Root Failure When The Ground is Saturated with Rain

[colb]

Isn’t water sticking on something a hydrogen bond?

I suppose it depends at least on whether the oxygen or the hydrogen is doing the sticking... It may also depend on the nature of the dipole interaction. I think hydrogen bonds involve a third molecule that helps massage the hydrogen just right so that it does not get too stuck to whatever it is bonding to. I may be off on this.

You're going at it from a water-centric approach, right? I'm trying to go at it from a soil-centered approach. Whether I'm succeeding is another question... The OP is asking whether the tree will tip over and I think that depends in part on whether the soil binds to itself. If the water binds to the soil and to other water molecules, the soil will be less capable of binding to itself. Soil has a lot of ionic bonds, and I expect those get pretty busted up by water, like ionic bonds do.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

Trying to think rationally when driven by anxiety and fear is a challenging thing.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

Consider mediation.

Way of the Rock Warrior (something like that)...Arno Ilgner.

You're working out if fear. No Bueno.




Guying is very preferable for tipped trees.

I think you mean meditation not mediation? Although I like the idea of getting a professional mediator to address the conflict between a tree and it’s climber lol

 

[climbingmonkey24]

I think you mean meditation not mediation? Although I like the idea of getting a professional mediator to address the conflict between a tree and it’s climber lol

Relationship counseling.

I don’t like the way the tree looks at me.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

I don’t know why I’m suddenly petrified to climb an oak. Ever since I’ve got this thought in my head about heart rot and the tree falling I’m in a flight or fight state. But I’m not sure there’s really any warrant behind this anxiety and fear.

 

[Chaplain242]

Maybe take a hammer up with you and strike the trunk as you go up. When the hammer disappears into the bark - then you will know your fear is justified?

 

[climbingmonkey24]

Maybe take a hammer up with you and strike the trunk as you go up. When the hammer disappears into the bark - then you will know your fear is justified?

I did a mallet test this morning at the base and had that solid “wood knock” sound, all it is is trimming work.

It sounded like the second one in this video where the guy says this is what you want it to sound like

Trunk looks good, no mushrooms at base or anything.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

But then what if the tree uproots...maybe I should bail on the job and tell the customer to hire someone else

 

[climbingmonkey24]

It has been raining very heavily lately and there has been flooding.

So what I have to wait a month until it dries out to climb? Or maybe it shouldn’t even be climbed anymore. Supposed to do this job this week

 

[Birdyman88]

What are you supposed to do to tree? Remove or prune?

 

[climbingmonkey24]

So I don’t know whether I should go do this job or not.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

What are you supposed to do to tree? Remove or prune?

Just remove the dead branches...deadwood

 

[climbingmonkey24]

I don’t know why all of a sudden I’m so scared about this

 

[Chaplain242]

so your concerns are where the fissures are in the trunk in the photo?

 

[climbingmonkey24]

What fissures? There are no splits or cracks in the main trunk

my concern is the tree uprooting or falling because of all the rain or for whatever other reason it may while we are working .

 

[climbingmonkey24]

Or am I just being paranoid,

 

[DSMc]

Trying to think rationally when driven by anxiety and fear is a challenging thing.

This is an honest question and not me just being an ass, but with your ability to find so many things 'fearful', what made you think tree work was a good idea for you?

 

[climbingmonkey24]

This is an honest question and not me just being an ass, but with your ability to find so many things 'fearful', what made you think tree work was a good idea for you?

It doesn’t happen all the time, only in some particular cases and if I have anxiety it gets bad. What do you want from me it is what it is?

 

[climbingmonkey24]

This is an honest question and not me just being an ass, but with your ability to find so many things 'fearful', what made you think tree work was a good idea for you?

It doesn’t happen all the time, only in some particular cases and if I have anxiety it gera

 

[Birdyman88]

Do you normally climb trees this size? If you don't, then that could be exacerbating any fear. It looks like a 80-90 ft pin oak. Meaning, you look at this one and say "if it fails, I don't stand a chance", whereas with smaller trees, you may not think that, even though the odds of failure and injury on smaller trees can be just as bad. A sort of optical illusion, if you will.
But, your weight on that tree probably won't amount to a measurable change in stability - unless you're going way out that runaway limb on lower right. Even then, I'd be more concerned about that limb's junction than the tree itself. That junction looks included. Now whether the tree will just uproot anyway, I don't think anyone can answer that one without an extensive analysis of some sort.