tournaqute while collecting

palmbanks

Hello all,

First of all i would like to apologize for my terrible spelling of the above "t" word, i know its not correct, and its a word i will need to use again on this thread, so it will probably be spelled incorrectly in several different ways.

What im wondering is hads anyone ever had success with applying tournaqutes on trees at time of collection.

Basically, dig up as much root as possible when you collect a tree, then apply the tournaqutes where you would like the root system to be (with a mind to discarding remaining original roots below).

This would make the tree much more likely of surviving collection, without jepodizing your plans for it later down the line....

Seems like common sense to me, but i am yet to hear of anyone actually doing this, and the success rate.

Regards

Palmbanks

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Carl_Bergstrom

I don't follow your logic. This would stress an already-badly-stressed tree even further. How would that improve the chances of survival?

-Carl

pootsie

Palmbanks:

tourniquet?

If I get your question right, your are asking about using the wire method of layering to create new roots on a collected tree? The method where a wire is tightly applied to force new roots to grow above the wire.

If that is the quetion, I would recommend that the method not be used while collecting, since collection of a tree in the wild (or even from landscaping) is a LOT of stress on the tree. Layering is also a lot of stress on the tree. All that stress at once is likely to kill all but the most hardy trees.

Rather, I'd say collect the tree and give it a year or to to recover, and then try layering afterwards. Here's a layering link: Lots of useful info on layering

pootsie

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palmbanks

ok,


i think i worded it wrong.

i want to collect a large item..... in say 2 years time, i would normally visit the item and trench around it to make it easier to collect, and to increase its chances of survival , twice before i collect it to engourage new roots closer to trunk....

can i apply tournaqutes below the soil line as appose to the trench dig method....

am i making any sense?......lol

Will_Heath

First, although many people have had great success with the tourniquet method of layering I find the purely random results not worth the effort. You get more evenly distributed rootage with other methods in my opinion.

Spade around the trunk at the drip line with a sharp shovel halfway this year and do the other half next year. This will encourage roots closer to the trunk and disturb the trunk minimally.

See this thread for some good links on collecting.


Will Heath

rockm

"This would make the tree much more likely of surviving collection, without jepodizing your plans for it later down the line...."


"can i apply tournaqutes below the soil line as appose to the trench dig method.... "

You seem to be of the opinion that tourniquets are "safer" than trenching. I'd say the opposite would proably hold true, depending on where you put the tourniquets.

Digging a trench will not sever all the finer roots on a larger root, leaving some behind to help the tree recover. With a tourniquet, you are crippling ALL the roots below where you place it. If you place it too high on a main root you will choke off all the roots below it. Trenching is done further out on the rootball, preserving many feeder roots. If you're thinking of placing tourniquets that far out, I'd ask why? Trenching accomplishes the same thing...if you see what I'm saying...

By the way and speaking form experience in collecting a few trees, a cleanly sharply cut root end is going to produce more roots than a root that's been crushed and strangled by a wire...