Notes:
1. First I would suggest reading Modern Arboriculture (the book) by Dr Alex L. Shigo.
2. I suggest reading A Professional Understands Dose (On line)
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This is a basic guide for the professionals who have experience using I2-KI, Iodine in Potassium Iodide Solution a 2% mixture to stain starch grains' purple. Instructions are in MODERN ARBORICULTURE on page 277 by Dr. Shigo for the I2-KI. This is a poison, do not eat it, drink it or smell it. And most of all keep it out of the reach of children at all times.
When doing take downs of living trees. First keep records. Second measure
the D.B.H. (Diameter At Breast Height) of the tree being removed and record
the species of the tree. Again I say, this is for people who have had
prior hands on experience with the stain. Looking at the transverse
view (see page 48 in Modern Arboriculture) of the sample stain a portion
of the tree (where you take your measurement) from the cambial zone to
the pith.
If you have purple starch grains to the pith, you have a tree
that is 100% dynamic mass [diagram A]. In
a sense every place the tree can have a living cell it has one.
If you have a tree storing for 80% than you have 80% dynamic
and 20% static mass [diagram B].
You may have 20% dynamic and 80% static [diagram
C].
The whole point is to come up with at least ten species of each size
you may have in your area.
Soon by looking at your records and continuing to keep records, when you go to prune a species #one that is 2 ½ feet D.B.H. you will know about what the dynamic to static mass is. How you would prune a 100% dynamic mass tree and a tree with 80% static mass is very different. Once you have a guide of what the Dynamic to Static Mass may be, than by keeping records of the amount pruned, you will see your results and be better able to determine DOSE - how much can be removed from trees of different ages, sizes and species? Keep records of the amount of wood and leaf removed. Proper target pruning is a must as well. For more information on pruning one might read literature by Shigo & Trees Associates.
This could also possibly be used for determining amounts of nitrogen
applied. A 100% dynamic mass tree could possibly survive being socked with
nitrogen when a 80% static mass tree will not.
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