Idea:
Plant tree, place cement square restraint around tree. Let tree grow. Tree reaches inner edges of block, become 'square'. No more waste wood! Simply break apart the cement, and cut the tree down. Highly effiecient.-- EvilPickels, May 11 2005 Natural wood shapes: the V2 rocket http://www.cds.ed.c.../papayo%20trunk.jpg [ldischler, May 11 2005] This has similar aspects. 2x4_20Tree [2 fries shy of a happy meal, May 12 2005] Simple, elegant, quality. Bun-- zen_tom, May 11 2005 Would a reasonable (economically viable) thickness of concrete contain it? Trees have this incredible slow motion power to disrupt sidewalks and push over retaining walls....-- bristolz, May 11 2005 does the concrete grow too? presumably it starts small in a little concrete block and grows bigger. what am I missing?-- po, May 11 2005 I guess [po] that the concrete remains the same shape, but is larger than the initial size of the sapling - as the tree grows, it grows into the concrete 'mould' but is held back by the toughness of the material used.
It may have to be made from a transparent material in order for light to get in - or the treeman might be able to stack bits on, as the tree grows ever taller... I don't know [Ep]? I suppose the problems are a) making sure the sapling gets enough light and b) allowing the sapling to sprout branches whilst at a lower height, without interfering with the mould-- zen_tom, May 11 2005 the growing of trees is the strongest power on earth. It will, with great ease, break through any cement casing, even if it is say, a meter thick, reinforced with steel. The question is if it can be done with just part of the tree, so that it can grow around it. Maybe.-- zeno, May 11 2005 No more waste wood.... but lots of waste concrete.
Also, as a gardener for many years, I really woodn't think the tree wood grow like you think it wood.-- sophocles, May 11 2005 they do this with pumpkins.... and kittens as I mentioned before.
[zen tom] OOOH! We could make the material out of Transparent Alumin! As strong as aluminum and transparent. Problem solved. or something.-- SpocksEyebrow, May 11 2005 Cement has terrible strength in tension. Use a reusable steel form. Clamp it on the tree when it's of appropriate size, then remove clamps when you cut it a few months/years later.
//the growing of trees is the strongest power on earth// I've seen trees with wire cut deep into them - the wire was there to guide the tree when young, and the tree couldn't grow wider than the wire loop's diameter at that point. If a wire can withstand the tree's strength, a steel form may be able to hold.-- Worldgineer, May 11 2005 [Worldgineer] The reason is that the tree slowly grows around the thin wire. In situations like concrete sidewalks where there is more surface area the tree will cause damage and "rupture the structure" (although steel will most likely hold its form, just explaining the wire thing..)-- SpocksEyebrow, May 11 2005 I didn't really think on using concrete, but rather just something strong that wouldn't explode outward.
I'm thinking of a gian orchard, with pits 12 feet deep, by 5 feet wide, and all of these packed together block to block. Just let the trees grow against the blocks, which push against the other blocks. Effectively holding their shape. Not so sure about the side sof orgchard though. Maybe dig a hole and then place it in there.-- EvilPickels, May 12 2005 //I really woodn't think the tree wood grow like you think it wood.// Very punny [sophocles]!-- Mauve Herring, May 12 2005 [jscottpete] But the tangential forces, being able to be released only in a radial direction, will tear the planet apart.
Actually, I've done this (err... not the whole planet bit). I slipped a 3 metre or so length of square steel fence post over a poplar sucker having first removed the side shoots. Unfortunately it blew over in a strong wind (I suppose because the tree was deprived of its ability to bend over the length of the trunk), but a section at the bottom was already square. I have two more on the way - a cherimoya encased in two angle irons and a plum in a square wooden form.-- spidermother, Aug 26 2006 random, halfbakery