Tree Girdling

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I recently used a chainsaw to girdle two trees. I made two continuous rings on each tree. A couple of weeks later I revisited those trees expecting to see mostly dead leaves. They both looked very healthy with no evidence of dying. Does this take longer than I expected? How quickly should I expect to see results?

 

[dooleysm]

I don't remember how long it took when it finally worked, but we did a tree in a similar fashion one fall at the cemetery where I worked. The first attempt did not get a deep enough cut. Went back some number of weeks later and made another, deeper cut, which worked as expected.

I don't remember how long any of the intervals were, but after a couple of weeks I would expect to see something.

 

[nate_m]

I can't speak to the results but I am curious about the method.

Other than a dead tree, what are you trying to do? Just curious....

 

[schmism]

when he large maple that was rotted out caught on fire (shortly after the house finished burning down) it burnt everything out of the center except the outer inch of wood which was still green keeping the last 2 or so branches alive up top.

in other words, aim for the bark and about an inch more (if its a decent diameter tree, mine about 30" diam)

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I can't speak to the results but I am curious about the method.

Other than a dead tree, what are you trying to do? Just curious....

Just a dead tree....that's all I'm trying to accomplish.

 

[Skyco]

I kill large Tree of Heaven on my NC property by drilling about a 1" hole into the trunk 6" or so deep at a downward angle and filling with a mix of triclopyr (Brush-B-Gone) and glyphosate (Round Up).

 

[tallyho8]

I was curious about why you don't just cut it down with the chainsaw since you have one already. It is probably just as easy as girdling it and then you will know where and when it will fall and not have to face the possibility of it falling someday on something or someone who happens to be there.

 

[SPIKER]

I've girdeled a good number of trees. one reason for girdling is fire wood. leave it stand so it drys faster, other reasons might be to kill it ASAP and you don't have time to deal with it then & there but want a head start.

depth on big maples you need 3+ inches to kill them, others are less but mostly size Dependant bigger tree will have a little more cambium layer that caries food up into leaves... (I think the layer is/was called cambium anyhow).

also used to manage stands of timber where having smaller low quality trees which can be left for wildlife as they die...

mark

 

[Charlesaf3]

In general dead trees are dangerous... they fall randomly on things, and they can do all sorts of weird and dangerous things while chainsawing them.

I'd girdle rarely, and cautiously.

 

[jpbear]

We gridle trees all the time. Some trees will die quickly, like sassafras, from one ring. Others, like aspen, will take a year or two to show signs of dying no matter how many rings you put in them. One reason to girdle is because felling the tree could damage small potential timber trees. Also they will not rot as quick as they would on the ground. And yes I agree that a dead tree can be dangerous but just have to be very careful when working in the woods.