Attaching light fixtures to trees....

[Existential Angst]

Awl --

A sodium lamp fixture, 10# or so.

I see two options: screw right into the tree (SS deck screws?), or big hose clamps (or threaded-rod/plate equiv) around the tree. Both can impact the tree, it seems. Mebbe a hoseclamp with springs, for tree growth? That's a pita, tho.

Would be about 20 ft up, on the trunk, not a branch. I would would proly put the weatherproof box to a long-ish board or alum strip/bar, and attach that to the tree, for torque issues.

The trunk would be about 10"-12" in diameter at that height. How deep can one screw into a tree without doing harm?

[ransley]

Maybe attach light to a piece of wood and use bungy cords to secure it to the tree, as the tree grows the cords stretch

[Stormin Mormon]

When I was in school, we learned that the only living part of the trunk is the inner layer of the bark. The center is, uh, "dead wood".

Based on what I know, you'd be better off with screws. Crank them in as deeply as you want. The inner part of the trunk is dead. Pilot holes are a good thing.

I'd not want to use a clamp or band. As the tree grows, the clamp will get tighter, and may do more damage.

[Stormin Mormon]

The spring tension would tend to compress the bark. Helping choke off the necessary flow of water and nutrients. Much like a tourniquet.

And in about six months, the bungees would fail due to the UV light in sunlight.

This idea is interesting, but not very useful.

[dpb]

Stormin Mormon wrote: ...

Indeed, will work.

I'd suggest leaving them standing proud a fair amount from the surface or w/ time, the tree will grow over them making any later repair/replacement problematic.

In reality, for other than a temporary in which the mounting technieque is essentially immaterial, the better solution would be a light pole.

--

[Gunner Asch]

Depends on the species..but you can drill a hole through most of them and plug the hole so the beetles dont get in with little harm to them.

Lag bolts are recommended but will have to be changed every few years as the tree continues to grow. Deck screws are smaller in most cases and will work ok. And Stainless Steel IS rcommended so they dont rust away and dump your light on the ground.

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

[Una]

Existential Angst wrote: [...]

[...]

A backer board or metal strap is not necessary unless the box has to be attached to whatever from inside.

Screw into the tree, but not with deck screws. Use two lag screws ("lag bolts"). You have not said what species of tree so I'll assume an average thickness of bark. Use a lag bolt at least 4 inches long (long enough that the screw goes 3 inches into the wood) and a big washer. Pre-drill the hole.

Make a note wherever you remind yourself about annual maintenance tasks, to check the lag screws and if necessary back them out a turn or two so that the growing tree does not engulf the fixture or rip the screws out of their holes.

Are you prepared to get up in that tree every few years?

Una

[DerbyDad03]

I've had a decorative thermometer screwed to a beautiful Silver Maple for years.

Something like this:

I've also still got the bracket I used to use to raise and lower a bird feeder years ago still screwed to same tree.

Based on how many leaves I rake - and remove from my gutters - each year, I don't think I've hurt the tree too much. ;-)

Besides, it's standard practice to "cable" a tree to keep it from splitting. A couple of screws or bolts isn't going to hurt an otherwise healthy tree.

[Art Todesco]

I've put up an extensive Halloween display in front of my old house for many, many years. I routinely have put drywall-type screws into the trees on the property to hold lights and other display stuff. Of course, they are removed after the holiday. But I have never seen any adverse effect of doing this. If I were doing it on a semi permanent basis, I'd use stainless steel. YRMV.

[Pete Keillor]

Screwed into the tree will do less damage. Strapping anything around a tree is akin to putting a noose around your neck.

[Thomas]

. And Stainless Steel IS rcommended so they dont rust away

Add a wire/chain safety to a branch above for just-in-case.

[Rich Grise]

Zero.

Wrap the tree with whatever that stuff is at the garden shop; looks like cardboard, and use spring-loaded clamps to hold up the lamp.

But don't penetrate the tree - it's like ringing the dinner bell for diseases and parasites.

Good Luck! Rich

[Gunner Asch]

Remember..the tree grows in Length as well as girth....

Just a heads up...

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

[Existential Angst]

Super-simple and therefore excellent idear!!

Heh, now I can use black drywall screws, and see how long it takes them to rust out... :) AND give the ole tree some iron! :) :)

[Una]

Trees grow by adding wood at the top. A light screwed to the trunk

20 feet up won't get any higher as the tree gets bigger.

Do not hang a chain or cable over a branch; that is likely to kill the branch, and offers something for falling limbs to snag on, increasing risk of damage to the light.

Una

[Artemus]

An arborist told me to use stainless hanger bolts. Screw it into the tree and leave 2-3 inches sticking out. Thread a nut on only enough to add your whatever and another nut. This leaves plenty of space for the tree to grow in diameter before it hits the first nut. This also doesn't disturb the seal the tree made around the screw by having to back it out on an annual basis. Art

[Una]

This is guaranteed to damage the tree.

Do screw into the wood. It is the technique recommended in tree care books.

Una

[Artemus]

A tree only grows in length on the growth tips and not along existing trunk or limb wood. A spot 20' up the trunk will always be 20' up the trunk. Art

[Wayne Boatwright]

On Thu 21 Oct 2010 02:32:01p, Una told us...

In a previous home on a heavily wooded lot in Ohio, we had a lot of landscape lighting installed in the trees, as well as brackets to hang bug-zappers. All the mounts were firmly screwed into the wood of the trees. The trees remained healthy, and actually began growing around the mounting brackets.

[Jim Wilkins]

I've had several dozen stainless steel eyes and screws in the oak trees around my house for decades. The wood grows tightly around the metal so I use minimum 5/16" eyes which are strong enough to not break when backed out every few years. I hang things from the eyes with shackles rather than fastening them tightly to the tree so it can grow beneath them.

My firewood had assorted plain and galvanized screws and nails in it. Sometimes plain steel nails stayed tight, sometimes the bark opened up around it to leave a wound. Quarter inch and smaller screws often break off when I remove them.

jsw