Probably not interesting to most, but I am fascinated by this kind of stuff! I am continuously amazed at how wrong the 'experts' are when it comes to nature, and this is one of those instances. Another is when bur oaks start producing acorns (an possibly their growth rate as well). It just goes to show you that it is best to verify if you can 😊
Interesting video. I prune for a living and we certainly avoid flush cuts. I will pay more attention to something that I have taken for granted, granted also that it's been taken from experts. As you continue your experiments, keep in mind other factors such as the fact that when you remove the collar, you are cutting into, and therefore introducing decay into, the parent stem or trunk. You should not presume the method is superior until you've cut slabs and seen the extent of the decay inside. Just because the wound seems neater does not mean that the decay is less. That the wound is more likely to pool water is a good observation. A flush cut is also larger than the cut would be if you confined the damage to the removed branch and will take longer to close, which exposes it to the elements for longer. I'd be very interested to see it proven that the somewhat dryer conditions were not offset by increased closure time and additional damage to the parent. You've given me something to think about! It's never too soon to doubt the status quo, but i think your experiments should continue before we rewrite the standard. Keep up the good work.
The flush cuts do not take longer to close - they heal much faster than the collar cuts. Both will introduce possible decay into, the parent stem or trunk, but a wet wound is always going to be worse as far as decay goes. The decay will always start where the wound is wettest, and once it starts to decay, wood becomes spongy and invites more water/decay. In this experiment both stems were the same size, and the flush cut healed a good while ago while the collar cut is still open and holding water. I am a furniture builder by trade (nearly 50 years) and am well aware of rot looks like internally, but I also have pruned for longer than that and have seen the results. A theory I have is that removing the collar forces the trunk to heal the wound, and the trunk heals faster than branches do, but at any rate, flush cuts heal faster and drier, and the wound is encapsulated by the tree quite quickly. The top of this tree was also broken. If I would have left the jagged break, it would surely be rotting up there right now - but I cut the wound at a very steep angle to shed the water, and it is 100% healed in a little over a year. Dryness is the key, but people are free to continue making water cups if they like 😉
@@incognitotorpedo42 It has held true on all of the trees I have done it on. I did it on a yellow cedar about a year ago, and it worked perfect on that as well. Maybe I'll do a short showing that tree - that one had major surgery and is healed-up quite nicely already. 😊
You shoudl prune your tess as you see fit. However, I suggest researching the extensive workof Dr. Alex Shigo. He spent a career studing diseas and decay in trees, including the effects of different pruning techniques. He comes to differnt conclusions than you.
I disagree with the good doctor. A wound that tales longer to heal and holds water is not going to be healthier for the tree, no mater how long you study it. 😉
Thanks Larry! I still se people recommending that you put tar on cuts, which is also not a good idea. I guess you need to verify the advice of 'experts'. 😉
@@PlanetMojo I think one of most ridiculous things that comes to mind as a kid we were told to put butter on a scald or a burn all that does is cook it so obvious to put it under the cold water tap.
Probably not interesting to most, but I am fascinated by this kind of stuff! I am continuously amazed at how wrong the 'experts' are when it comes to nature, and this is one of those instances. Another is when bur oaks start producing acorns (an possibly their growth rate as well). It just goes to show you that it is best to verify if you can 😊
Thank you for this info. I have a pear tree and need to prune in the spring. Very helpful.
Interesting video. I prune for a living and we certainly avoid flush cuts. I will pay more attention to something that I have taken for granted, granted also that it's been taken from experts.
As you continue your experiments, keep in mind other factors such as the fact that when you remove the collar, you are cutting into, and therefore introducing decay into, the parent stem or trunk. You should not presume the method is superior until you've cut slabs and seen the extent of the decay inside. Just because the wound seems neater does not mean that the decay is less.
That the wound is more likely to pool water is a good observation. A flush cut is also larger than the cut would be if you confined the damage to the removed branch and will take longer to close, which exposes it to the elements for longer. I'd be very interested to see it proven that the somewhat dryer conditions were not offset by increased closure time and additional damage to the parent.
You've given me something to think about! It's never too soon to doubt the status quo, but i think your experiments should continue before we rewrite the standard.
Keep up the good work.
The flush cuts do not take longer to close - they heal much faster than the collar cuts. Both will introduce possible decay into, the parent stem or trunk, but a wet wound is always going to be worse as far as decay goes. The decay will always start where the wound is wettest, and once it starts to decay, wood becomes spongy and invites more water/decay.
In this experiment both stems were the same size, and the flush cut healed a good while ago while the collar cut is still open and holding water. I am a furniture builder by trade (nearly 50 years) and am well aware of rot looks like internally, but I also have pruned for longer than that and have seen the results.
A theory I have is that removing the collar forces the trunk to heal the wound, and the trunk heals faster than branches do, but at any rate, flush cuts heal faster and drier, and the wound is encapsulated by the tree quite quickly.
The top of this tree was also broken. If I would have left the jagged break, it would surely be rotting up there right now - but I cut the wound at a very steep angle to shed the water, and it is 100% healed in a little over a year. Dryness is the key, but people are free to continue making water cups if they like 😉
I interesting. You should do more.alot of times it depends on the size of the branch.
I get the same results regardless of branch size. A flush cut branch will heal much faster, and stay drier than a collar cut.
@@PlanetMojo Is this true for all tree species? How could the collar cut idea have become such common knowledge?
@@incognitotorpedo42 It has held true on all of the trees I have done it on. I did it on a yellow cedar about a year ago, and it worked perfect on that as well. Maybe I'll do a short showing that tree - that one had major surgery and is healed-up quite nicely already. 😊
Valuable tip!
Thank you Stephany!
What can you do for those poorly pruned branches to mitigate further damage? Don’t want to further prove your point with Grater damaged tree, right?
Not sure what you are saying...
You shoudl prune your tess as you see fit. However, I suggest researching the extensive workof Dr. Alex Shigo. He spent a career studing diseas and decay in trees, including the effects of different pruning techniques. He comes to differnt conclusions than you.
I disagree with the good doctor. A wound that tales longer to heal and holds water is not going to be healthier for the tree, no mater how long you study it. 😉
Hi Mojo, that's a case of the proof is in the eating. You won't be fooled again I betcha.
Thanks Larry! I still se people recommending that you put tar on cuts, which is also not a good idea. I guess you need to verify the advice of 'experts'. 😉
@@PlanetMojo I think one of most ridiculous things that comes to mind as a kid we were told to put butter on a scald or a burn all that does is cook it so obvious to put it under the cold water tap.
@@adenvet2830 I remember the butter nonsense 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣