On 05/03/2011 12:59, Eddy wrote:

Hello All.

The extraordinary gales whistling through Shropshire from Wales several
weeks ago were too much for the thin 18-foot conifer in this photo.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...ind-tunnel.jpg

This conifer just could not withstand the wind and once the gales
subsided it was left standing about 30 degrees from vertical! (It was
easy enough to straighten it up again, largely by stamping heavily on
the ground on the side from which the wind had hit it.)

As this tree is only going to grow taller and thicker and encounter
greater difficulty in the gales of each autumn and spring, it seems to
me I only have two solutions:

1. Keep it at its current height and support the three with a diagonal
post from behind, so that while the top may bend backwards (temporarily)
in harsh winds, the root system won't be pulled at again, and once the
winds stop the tree will be left fully vertical again.

2. Reduce it to a height of about six feet, and trim its branches, IF
this kind of conifer will accept such cutting and IF it will then bush
and fill itself in.

What do you advise?

Is there another solution?

There's another conifer, of a different sort, nearby, which is currently
only 6 feet high and which will grow into a very high and wide tree if I
let it, but that cannot be because of proximity to the house. However I
know that it is one of those conifers that you CAN trim and shape and it
will "bush". But as for this one (in the photo), I have no idea.

Many thanks,

Eddy.


Hi Eddy,

Having looked through all the other posts and also learned why you need
an evergreen in this situation, my suggestion would be to(once again)
move this conifer to another site. Plant it well, stake it well and
give it a windbreak during winter. If you still need to shorten it,take
out the leader sooner rather than later. Cut the leader (main central
stem) back by 1'(30cm) lower than your intended height, as this will
ease future pruning.

For the site in front of your 3 birches, I suggest planting a Yew tree
(Taxus baccata). This is very hardy, fully evergreen and immensely
prunable. You can cut it right back to the trunk and it will reshoot.
It is much used for topiary and the smartest of hedges. You could shape
it into a very attractive feature. Maybe plant three and train it into a
smart crescent hedge to deflect the wind. You could then put a bench
there for the summer :~). Yew is also attractive to wildlife ...
although tricky if you have livestock.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay