GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Kay Lancaster · 29-09-2006, 10:40 AM posted to rec.gardens

On 28 Sep 2006 18:16:43 -0700, wrote:

Great stories Kay! Enough to scare anyone away from trees for life!

Yup, and what did I do? Go into botany. g

Now, ya wanna hear some stories about widowmakers? (dead limbs hung
up in canopy, ready to fall.) g

If I were to follow JoeSpare's advice (replant/move), which would
involve digging in many directions for many feet (I'd say at least 12
feet) could the tree survive the cutting of main root systems?

This is one heck of a heavy tree now. 15-20 feet high, 8 inch trunk.
Even three guys now would have a tough time moving it.

I wouldn't try it without a treespade, and they don't come cheap. I'm
in an area of the country known for lots and lots of tree nurseries
(with lots and lots of treespades), but I don't think I've ever
seen one as rental equipment.

I hate to be such a naysayer, but I honestly don't think this is more
than a cut your losses, try again sort of scenario. One thing that may
have happened is that there may have been sufficient breakage of phloem
in the stem when you righted it that photosynthate isn't going to
translocate to the roots this fall. Next spring, the roots will
use up part of their reserve sending out goodies to push out next
years' leaves. And next fall, once again, the photosynthate won't
get to the roots. And the following spring, more reserves will be
transferred to push out leaves... lather, rinse, repeat until the
roots are exhausted and the tree seems to suddenly die (this is what
happens when you "ring" the bark on a tree).

My freshman botany teacher told the class about killing trees by
beating on the bark all the way around the circumference with a baseball
bat, breaking the phloem connection. Sounded a bit urban legendish
to me, so I tried it on some trash trees (descendents of that
siberian elm that came in to visit me). Took a couple of years,
but every siberian elm I beat up on died. Ok, so it wasn't an
urban legend. I've always had to experiment.

You sound like you, too, might have an experimental streak. If you
don't mind the labor involved and it's not likely to fall on anything
expensive when it dies, go for it. Me, I've got an old, tired back,
and digging great big holes isn't my idea of fun anymore. g

Kay