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That trick with the water and the truck straps actually saved a cracked maple today
Had this big old silver maple on Elm Street, split right down the middle after that storm we had Tuesday. Owner was about to have me take the whole thing down, $1200 job. I remembered reading somewhere about using ratchet straps and watering the crown to make the wood more flexible before you pull it back together. Threw four straps around it, soaked the hell out of the canopy for 20 minutes, then slowly cranked it back. Held clean. Anyone else tried this on a split crotch?
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rubybarnes1mo ago
Elm Street sounds like it's been hit hard this season. I had a similar split on a Norway maple last spring in Medford, same storm damage. It was a 40 inch trunk, split right through the crotch about 8 feet up. I used four 2 inch wide cam straps and a garden hose for about 30 minutes. You gotta get the water deep into the crown, not just a light spray. Cranked it slow over an hour, not all at once, and it held perfect. @uma_mitchell83, the $1200 was for removal, which I would have had to do if the straps didn't work. So that hose and straps saved me a full day of work and the owner a big bill. Just make sure you check the straps every few days and loosen them a bit if the bark starts to pinch.
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