I have a large Hackberry that is our only shad tree for our driveway. Having already lost one, I dont wanna lose this one. The trunk goes 5 directions about 8 feet up. Thinking about securing a log chain around the tree a few feet above the spot it branches out to avoid a split like the last one. Over time, assuming the trunk would grow into the chain-will this be ok or will I kill the tree?

With all the stuff I have found in trees over the years, I don't think this would be a problem.

It would not kill the tree but use a strong chain.

Won't kill the tree but the guy who eventually cuts it down will kill you.

If the guy cutting the tree down doesn't get killed himself.

Keith

Hackberry trees here seem to rot from the middle.

I can help advise you, pictures would be helpful. Ideally you'd use cable and eye bolts, bolts drilled all the way through the branches with a nut and washer. I may forget to check this thread again so feel free to pm me, I can give you my phone number if you'd want to text pictures.

This is part of my full time job as a urban arborist.

I have a full sized apple tree at camp that I chained. The trunk separates two ways about five feet off the ground. I used a 3/8 “ chain…it’s grown into the tree in the last few years.

My Grandfather had an ancient apple tree that had a turnbuckle holding the two sides together. He had big eye bolts though both sides of the tree.

Cut it down and plant new trees.

mine did

looked great on the outside and was rotting where all the limbs came together

I have seen it done as cabling 3/8 to 1/2 inch cable and clamps done about 5 feet up a limb back to a wrap around the main trunk

it buys time if it is rotting in the middle it will have to go in time

really agressive pruining to cut back the weight far out from the trunk that causes the breaks

they are impressive shade trees but when it is 70 feet tall and almost 70 feet in diameter that is a lot of stress back to those junction points.

Plant a Princeton Elm beside it or in an area that will give shade when grown. Then cut hackberry out. If it has that many leaders, it never got trimmed up properly to begin with and just be issues later on, including the crotch rot your describing. The elm is dutch elm disease resistant and grows quickly.

Use lag bolts well above the forks where the chain is out of the tree and visible.