Will nailing decoration to a tree injure it?

[djheater]

I was thinking about making some odd decorations for the trees in my backyard, faces and such and nailing them into place. Will that irrevocably damage the tree do you think?

I was trying to search but my brain is useless and I can't think up any good strings... I get a lot of results on "tree spiking" and eco-terrorism.

 

[Syrch]

No...unless you split teh tree in half by accident.

 

[funkymatt]

it's cetainly not like nailing something into your forehead, if that's what you mean.

 

[lozina]

Can't you just tie it around using twine ?

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
it's cetainly not like nailing something into your forehead, if that's what you mean.

Yes that's exactly what I, no wait, that's not waht I mean at all. Thanks though.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: lozina
Can't you just tie it around using twine ?

The designs I have ni mind are pretty complicated and wouldn't work that way. They're meant to blend seemlessly into the tree, as though they're part of it.

 

[Shaftatplanetquake]

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: lozina
Can't you just tie it around using twine ?

The designs I have ni mind are pretty complicated and wouldn't work that way. They're meant to blend seemlessly into the tree, as though they're part of it.

Affix with semen FTW.

 

[lozina]

You could try wire then. It's thin and dark so it won't be visible. Just make sure you don't leave it on for a few dacades as the tree grows into it

 

[FoBoT]

its a tree

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Shaftatplanetquake

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: lozina
Can't you just tie it around using twine ?

The designs I have ni mind are pretty complicated and wouldn't work that way. They're meant to blend seemlessly into the tree, as though they're part of it.

Affix with semen FTW.

If 'seemlessly' (which should have been seamlessly) made you think of semen, it's probably time to reassess your subconcious drives.... I'm just sayin'....

 

[Moonbeam]

Why don't you ask the tree?

 

[shimsham]

WHY DO YOU HATE THE EARTH?

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: djheater

Originally posted by: funkymatt
it's cetainly not like nailing something into your forehead, if that's what you mean.

Yes that's exactly what I, no wait, that's not waht I mean at all. Thanks though.

Tomorrow youll come outside to find out that some p1ssed-off tree decided to take a nap on your car.

 

[aircooled]

I hear that copper nails are bad for a tree, but I believe it takes an entire ring of nails to harm it. I'd suggest just plain galvanized nails and if it's just a few nails, I doubt any harm will be done.

I see bird feeders and bird houses nailed/screwed into trees all the time

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Why don't you ask the tree?

*They take to long to answer
*Certainly I could ask, but it's likely I wouldn't understand the answer
* Get thee back the the cesspool that is P&N

^ Take your pick Moonie

 

[Jeraden]

My friend had a tree house when he was a kid. Tree seemed to survive fine even with all the nails and stuff driven into it to support the thing. So I think you'd be fine.

 

[bonkers325]

unless the tree is already dying, then no. the tree will just grow around the nail/decoration.

 

[Adica]

The tree will be just fine. But please don't nail anything to the dog.

 

[gigapet]

the question is how many dates before you nail the decoration

 

[Baked]

Trees don't have feelings.

 

[phisrow]

You should probably use non oxidizing nails, as I don't know how well trees take to iron oxide in their systems. Then you should be ok, save for the slight increase in risk of the tree getting infected with a fungus or something. Not too many species are particularly vulnerable to that, though.

 

[FoBoT]

i can't believe anyone thinks a nail in a tree is a problem

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
i can't believe anyone thinks a nail in a tree is a problem

Common sense would seem to indicate that it would make the tree mildly more susceptible to parasites and fungus.

The galvanized suggestion was a good one too....

 

[Stvfarmboy]

I can't find any pictures of it but there is tree with a plow in it not that far from where I live. Apparently some guy leaned his plow against a tree and then went off to fight a war. Never came back and the tree grew around the plow.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/getAttraction.php3?tip_AttractionNo==359

 

[mercanucaribe]

No, it doesn't harm the tree because only the outer layer of wood is xylem. Past the first few mm or cm, a tree is dead wood. "Eco terrorists" spike trees to decrease their value as lumber.