GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

22-09-2004, 07:59 PM

(Patrick) wrote in message . com...
Hello folks. I've been lurking in this NG for a while, but tonight is
the first time I've posted. I need your help. Here's my dilemma:

Hurricane Ivan put a serious lean on a large Water Oak of mine. The
Oak probably stands about 30 feet tall and has a trunk diameter of
about 13 inches/circumference of 46-47 inches. It's leaning at about
a 10-degree angle. A smaller Water Oak (about half the size/diameter)
stands on my property line about 10-12 feet behind it. Would it be
feasible to some how use the smaller Oak to right the larger one? I
hate to lose this nice shade tree, but I can't leave it the way it is.
It's now an eyesore and if it were to get blown over it would catch a
portion of my home's roof.

- So, should I break out the chain saw?

Yes. Righting trees that big is usually a losing proposition. The
roots have been damaged, and even if you got it upright again, I doubt
you'd be able to prevent rot from setting in below ground. It would
then be even more precarious and likely to obliterate part of your
house when even a modest wind came along.

J. Del Col