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[Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees
- From: "Glen Eco Farm" <glenecofarm AT planetcomm.net>
- To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees
- Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:16:01 -0400
I have a small fruit tree orchard consisting
primarily of European and Asian pears, three apricot trees, and one Gala apple
tree. The trees are now getting big enough to be a challenge to prune even
from a pallet elevated to the optimum height with a tractor front end
loader. Considering the fact that I soon will be embarking on my sixth
decade of life, I have begun to question the wisdom of continuing to climb
around on shaky ladders and front end loaders, especially since the orchard is
situated on a moderate slope and I don't really have that much accident and life
insurance.
I have done some checking into what is available to
make it possible to prune 15' -- 20' tall trees with both feet planted firmly on
solid ground. Basically this kind of equipment falls into two categories:
1) hand operated saws and (or) shears on the end of poles (fixed or extendable)
and connected to the operator via cables or ropes and 2) small chain saws
on the end of a power shaft pwered by a two cycle engine much like those on
moderate to large sized string trimmers and brush cutters.
Units designed specifically for that purpose often
have telescoping poles capable of reaching up to 15'. A chain saw cutter
head is availble which fits onto the drive shaft of an ordinary trimmer which is
capable of reaching about 7 or 8 feet. I have considered that if were to
use powered equipment, one of these operated from a pallet raised 4 or 5 feet
off the ground might be fairly safe. Otherwise, investment in additional
powered equipment to do this job starts to look expensive. Another angle to consider about using powered pruning
equipment on the end of long poles. Am I going to do damage beyond cutting
off the intended limbs and branches?
Common sense logic suggests that using hand
operated tools would be much more precise than power equipment and less likely
to do unwanted damage. It appears that the appropriate hand operated
equipment would cost roughly the same as the power saw attachment that could be
used with my existing brush cutter.
I have no experience using anything beyond a large
pair of loppers capable of taking off a 2" diameter limb requiring the use of
two hands.
I would be interested in hearing from those with
experience using the various types of tree pruning equipment., what kind of
featues to look for and which ones to avoid.
Marlin Burkholder
Virginia
|
-
[Market-farming] farm names,
Errol Castens, 08/26/2008
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
-
[Market-farming] Farm names,
Wyatt Jones, 08/27/2008
-
Re: [Market-farming] Farm names,
lucy Owsley, 08/27/2008
-
[Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees,
Glen Eco Farm, 08/28/2008
-
Re: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees,
mcoldiron, 08/28/2008
-
Re: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees,
lucy Owsley, 08/29/2008
- Re: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees, WENDY & RANDY GRAY, 08/29/2008
-
Re: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees,
lucy Owsley, 08/29/2008
- Re: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees, Willie McKemie, 08/29/2008
-
Re: [Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees,
mcoldiron, 08/28/2008
-
[Market-farming] Equipment for pruning large fruit trees,
Glen Eco Farm, 08/28/2008
-
Re: [Market-farming] Farm names,
lucy Owsley, 08/27/2008
- [Market-farming] Farm names, Wyatt Jones, 08/27/2008
- [Market-farming] Farm names, Jenny Albert, 08/28/2008
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