Hot!

[pete]

I had that happen to a pine  tree some years ago,keep an eye on that tree it will most likely die,and have to be cut down.  

[slvrlng]

Yeah that tree is a goner! We had some good ones come through here yesterday and today. We had a pine that happened to a few years ago. I had a wooden handled yard rake leaning up against it , part of the bolt went down the rake handle and blew a hole in the ground. The handle was really cool looking with this split running down the whole length of it. I kept it to show people the power of electricity. In moving and getting divorced I can't find it anywhere! Of course the ex is clueless! "What rake"?  

[gran398]

That tree will die within a year...

Well, that's the old-timers way of thinking. And agree, you look at it, and say most likely its over. But, why not take some pruning spray to her, or some petrol-based undercoater. And give the band-aid,  with antiseptic. Those big pines are tougher than we think....load on the TLC, at least you've made an effort.

The lightning always hits the big pines. Our Dad's told us, no need to do anything, its going to die. Truth be, most likely bugs killed it. That can be avoided.

Way back when, they made BIG vertical cuts in pines, to extract the sap. They're still here, with a 70 year old scar.


Grab a ladder....save a pine!

[GoneFission]

Yes, I would like to save it - it's a really nice, big, longleaf pine.  The good news is that it did not blow the bark off all the way around anywhere.  One thing for sure - it does not have any beetles in it now - unless they're fried well done! I will give it the pruning spray treatment for what I can reach with a 24 foot ladder, above that - it on it's own.  I guess it's cross your fingers time.

[gran398]

Yes, I would like to save it - it's a really nice, big, longleaf pine.  The good news is that it did not blow the bark off all the way around anywhere.  One thing for sure - it does not have any beetles in it now - unless they're fried well done! I will give it the pruning spray treatment for what I can reach with a 24 foot ladder, above that - it on it's own.  I guess it's cross your fingers time.

At the very least, you've made an effort. Good deal. My bet says that if you made the effort right now, you've saved her.....thanks, and keep us posted.

[John Jones]

update

Phoenix, Arizona
Local Time: 8:14 PM MST (GMT -07) Your time: 11:14 PM EDT (GMT -04)
 105 °F  / 41 °C
Scattered Clouds

Excessive heat warning in effect until 8 PM MST Friday...

http://www.wunderground.com/US/AZ/Phoenix/KPHX.html

I think I'm three inches shorter from melting.

[John Jones]

Lightning scares the heck out of me.  
I just cut down my tallest palm tree.  Lightning got it last year.  It slowly faded from green to all brown and I did not want to leave a dead one 20 feet from the house during hurricane season.

[Capt. Bob]

CJ,
Since I deal with this on almost a weekly basis during the summer months at my current project, let me offer this.

One, we see signs of death occurring in as little as a week or as late as a year.
SOP is to do nothing with the scar because if the tree survives it does a better job of healing itself.
If the tree does die then you can choose to remove it (safety concern) or top it and made into a "snag". The decaying tree attracts insects and the woodpeckers love them. We try and leave as many as possible throughout the project.

Also, lightening, due to the the excessive heat it generates, causes severe damage to the tree's root system. This is the major cause of death when you see only the single strike trail. The heat causes the sap to boil and explode leaving that trail. The living part of the tree is on that outer edge (growth from center outward with age) so it is the most susceptible to damage.

Lastly, comparing turpentine operations to lightening strikes is not sound. Stripping of bark for sap draw does not produce the heat that destroys fibrous cell tissue nor damages the tree's root system. We have an old terp site on the project that dates back to the 1900s with pines still living. Kind of amazing really, since this is pushing their usual life spans.

Good luck and keep your fingers crossed.

[gran398]

CB,

All of what you stated makes great sense, particularly the heat portion. Good job.

[gran398]

Good boomers here tonight....temp went from 101 heat index this afternoon to a pleasant 74 currently.....whew!

[bumpster]

Good boomers here tonight....temp went from 101 heat index this afternoon to a pleasant 74 currently.....whew!

Guess your not gonna go giggin huh?. You know , Tallest point on the beach with a metal gig in hand

[gran398]

Naw Bump, was considering it tho. Was real windy, lotta thunder and lightning. So went to bed early.

Now up early. Thatsa switch!

The thing about flounder gigging, they get real skittish in any kind of lightning, and won't lay up. Ditto for a big moon. And at dawn and dusk. Best time to go is the dead of night, no moon, no wind, no rain for days, (clear water), half hour into the rising tide (clear water again).

Then, if you catch four, when you tell your friends, you just triple the number.....you got twelve.

Easy.

 

All good fisherman are good fibbers. "It ain't a lie if you believe it."  

[GoneFission]

Then, if you catch four, when you tell your friends, you just triple the number.....you got twelve.

Just make sure you aren't talking to a game warden, cuz (as you know!) the limit for flounder in NC is eight!    

If you're lying, at least make the lie legal!