Will nailing decoration to a tree injure it?

[Kyteland]

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

Actually it is. It certainly won't hurt the tree, but have you ever tried to use a chainsaw on a tree that has nails or barbed wire which it has grown around?

OP, if you do affix anything to the tree make sure you remember where you put it, and make sure you remove it when you're done!

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Kyteland

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

Actually it is. It certainly won't hurt the tree, but have you ever tried to use a chainsaw on a tree that has nails or barbed wire which it has grown around?

OP, if you do affix anything to the tree make sure you remember where you put it, and make sure you remove it when you're done!

k

 

[CPA]

This question is a direct result of the brainwashing environmentalists, tree huggers, the media and PC folks have done over the last twenty years.

It's a fricken tree! It's one nail! Hell you can graft trees, shave off bark, trim them, hammer pipe into them to draw out sap, and a myriad of other things and not irrevocably damage them.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: 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....

There is a spray to prevent this, normal use would be when you cut limbs, but should work for nails too.

I have seen trees with nails in them for what has to be 30+ years and the tree survived well.

 

[cirrhosis]

When I first moved into my house, there was a tall sycamore tree outside. A few months earlier, the previous owner had nailed a birdhouse to it with a nail - copper or something. One year later we had to take it down...that tree was dying/dead. It had been poisoned by the nail...pretty sure it had been reused from something else. It was a shame, it was a beautiful tree.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: CPA
This question is a direct result of the brainwashing environmentalists, tree huggers, the media and PC folks have done over the last twenty years.

It's a fricken tree! It's one nail! Hell you can graft trees, shave off bark, trim them, hammer pipe into them to draw out sap, and a myriad of other things and not irrevocably damage them.

No it's not. You shouldn't generalise.

It's a valid question because I enjoy the trees I have and don't want to have to take them down because of not having asked the question, two or three people have made valid contributions and recounted applicable experience, the rest of the posts were typical crap. For ATOT I think I'm doing pretty well.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: CPA
This question is a direct result of the brainwashing environmentalists, tree huggers, the media and PC folks have done over the last twenty years.

It's a fricken tree! It's one nail! Hell you can graft trees, shave off bark, trim them, hammer pipe into them to draw out sap, and a myriad of other things and not irrevocably damage them.

Way to go off on a tangent.

 

[KK]

just sterilize the nail first.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: KK
just sterilize the nail first.

Why do they sterilize needles for lethal injections?

djheater, it's OT, what do you expect.

I'll post something helpfull, or something like ^^^this.

 

[SagaLore]

When I lived in Oregon - both in middle school and boy scouts, I recall being taught not to nail stuff into trees because it hurts them (emotionally?). However, if you need to take a core sample, you should plug the whole with a stick to seal it off and prevent parasites from making a home in the hole.

 

[NuclearNed]

You should PM Eli - he's the resident tree expert.

 

[slpaulson]

It should be fine.

I used to have a tree fort with nails in the trees, and they were all fine.

 

[JDrake]

Don't hurt the tree

 

[So]

Originally posted by: cirrhosis
When I first moved into my house, there was a tall sycamore tree outside. A few months earlier, the previous owner had nailed a birdhouse to it with a nail - copper or something. One year later we had to take it down...that tree was dying/dead. It had been poisoned by the nail...pretty sure it had been reused from something else. It was a shame, it was a beautiful tree.

Surely it was one nail, no way it could have been coincidental disease, bad weather or anything else. What evidence do you have indicating that it was the nail, other than a supposed correlation (not a demonstrated cause).

Also, how do you know when the birdhouse was put up?

Now, if you had a competent tree biologist (whatever the proper term is), I'll take your cmaim seriously.

Unless my sarcasm meter is completely broken, in which case, I've just owned myself.

 

[rezinn]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: cirrhosis
When I first moved into my house, there was a tall sycamore tree outside. A few months earlier, the previous owner had nailed a birdhouse to it with a nail - copper or something. One year later we had to take it down...that tree was dying/dead. It had been poisoned by the nail...pretty sure it had been reused from something else. It was a shame, it was a beautiful tree.

Surely it was one nail, no way it could have been coincidental disease, bad weather or anything else. What evidence do you have indicating that it was the nail, other than a supposed correlation (not a demonstrated cause).

Also, how do you know when the birdhouse was put up?

Now, if you had a competent tree biologist (whatever the proper term is), I'll take your cmaim seriously.

Unless my sarcasm meter is completely broken, in which case, I've just owned myself.

That's nothing. My dad nailed a birdhouse to one of our trees and 20 years later they all died.

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: rezinn

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: cirrhosis
When I first moved into my house, there was a tall sycamore tree outside. A few months earlier, the previous owner had nailed a birdhouse to it with a nail - copper or something. One year later we had to take it down...that tree was dying/dead. It had been poisoned by the nail...pretty sure it had been reused from something else. It was a shame, it was a beautiful tree.

Surely it was one nail, no way it could have been coincidental disease, bad weather or anything else. What evidence do you have indicating that it was the nail, other than a supposed correlation (not a demonstrated cause).

Also, how do you know when the birdhouse was put up?

Now, if you had a competent tree biologist (whatever the proper term is), I'll take your cmaim seriously.

Unless my sarcasm meter is completely broken, in which case, I've just owned myself.

That's nothing. My dad nailed a birdhouse to one of our trees and 20 years later they all died.

poor birds

 

[Eli]

No, unless you leave the nails in it.

Edit: Oh, I thought you meant temporarily.

If it's going to be permanent, hmm. I don't think it's a big deal. The nail itself won't kill the tree, but as others have said it would leave the tree more susceptible to disease.

 

[Minerva]

How much bollard pull would be necessary to uproot a 400 year old oak tree from the base?

 

[WildHorse]

 

[Sean D]

While it is unlikely it will have any effect on the tree, definitely make sure you take the nails out when you are done. I work for a tree company, and its a real PITA to have to re-sharpen the chain on my saw every damn time I hit a nail.

 

[Kyteland]

Originally posted by: Sean D
While it is unlikely it will have any effect on the tree, definitely make sure you take the nails out when you are done. I work for a tree company, and its a real PITA to have to re-sharpen the chain on my saw every damn time I hit a nail.

QFT

 

[Moonbeam]

Wasn't it the guy who got nailed that said, do unto others as you would have them do unto you?

 

[yhelothar]

lol this thread reminds me of this.
http://70.86.201.113/imageserv2/temporary/PBF008BCBarbaraandRudy.html

 

[NGC_604]

Coming up on Dateline....

Cutting your grass. Most Americans do it, but are we as society so obsessed with appearence that we're willing to torture millions of grass-lings on a weekly basis? You'll be surprised when you hear the results. We'll speak with lawyers from Florida who are fighting for grass' rights.

Later we ask the question, have spelling bees gone TOO far?......