Hi

Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
off the floor, in the recent (very) high winds. It's about 20 feet high
and 6-7 ins diameter trunk. As it's not that old (probably 7 years or
so) we were able, once the winds died down, to stand it back up and
strap it very temporarily to a fence post. Obviously it can't stay like
that and it must have had quite significant root damage as there were
large bulges in the soil when it was pulled over.

I need some advice. We aren't covered on insurance for trees so we need
to find out whether it is so badly damaged it won't survive or whether
it can be saved but how to keep it upright. I phoned a tree specialist
this morning and he said that if the tree was well enough that to keep
it upright there would need to be large strong posts sunk into the
ground and cross-bars. I'm not sure how that would look - would it look
like the trees you see in pavements with a small structure around them
or would it be an enormous eyesore of scaffolding?

Unfortunately we can't afford to spend hundreds of pounds (will it cost
that?) unexpectedly like this, and we would just have to cut it down and
plant another one if it was going to be very expensive to remedy.

What would people here advise?

Thanks.

Lynda

"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
snip

Unfortunately we can't afford to spend hundreds of pounds (will it cost
that?) unexpectedly like this, and we would just have to cut it down and
plant another one if it was going to be very expensive to remedy.

What would people here advise?

Thanks.

Lynda

Cut it down. Now its been weakened, it must be even more likely to be
damaged with the next lot of winds. Winter hasnt even started yet, do you
really want to be peering out every time there is a good wind? And for what
you spend to try and keep it upright you can probably buy some really nice
plants to replace it.
--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks before replying (but no email reply necessary to newsgroups)

In article , Lynda Thornton
writes
Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
off the floor, in the recent (very) high winds. It's about 20 feet high
and 6-7 ins diameter trunk.
snip
What would people here advise?

A friend of mine once had a large oak tree that blew down in a gale -
and I mean down ie as horizontal as it is possible for a fallen over
tree to be. So, he decided to take a chain saw to it and chop it up and
sell it for firewood - might as well make some money out of it. So he
started at the 'top' with the small branches.
Well, when he had chopped off about half of the branches, the tree
started groaning and moaning and tossing and turning itself, or so it
seemed to my friend who jumped well clear of it!!!!!
Then what happened was that the tree gradually swung itself back up to
the vertical position.
It is still there today )))))))))

So, I say shove it back as close to vertical as you can get it, chop off
half of the top branches, fill in any holes round its roots and see what
happens!!!!!!!!!!!
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason,
put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com

"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
Hi

Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
off the floor, in the recent (very) high winds. It's about 20 feet high
and 6-7 ins diameter trunk. As it's not that old (probably 7 years or
so) we were able, once the winds died down, to stand it back up and
strap it very temporarily to a fence post. Obviously it can't stay like
that

I'm only going to tell you what Tumbleweed has already told you. Todays
storm will have presented several of us with planting opportunities (we've
got a couple of full grown Beeches and a few other things down - I was close
by when one of the Beeches fell this morning) That Robinia will never really
be safe and secure again so spend a tenner or less on a small new tree.
Small trees get chance to make decent roots before the plant gets too heavy
and more often than not they will catch up with heavy standards planted at
the same time. They will always be more secure than trees put in as large
plants.

Rod

In article , Rod
writes

"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
Hi

Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
off the floor, in the recent (very) high winds. It's about 20 feet high
and 6-7 ins diameter trunk. As it's not that old (probably 7 years or
so) we were able, once the winds died down, to stand it back up and
strap it very temporarily to a fence post. Obviously it can't stay like
that

I'm only going to tell you what Tumbleweed has already told you. Todays
storm will have presented several of us with planting opportunities (we've
got a couple of full grown Beeches and a few other things down - I was close
by when one of the Beeches fell this morning) That Robinia will never really
be safe and secure again so spend a tenner or less on a small new tree.
Small trees get chance to make decent roots before the plant gets too heavy
and more often than not they will catch up with heavy standards planted at
the same time. They will always be more secure than trees put in as large
plants.

Rod


Hi Rod

It's such a shame to lose it though - it was the only proper tree in our
garden and encouraged the birds to visit. How should be go about
cutting it down - should we get a professional tree surgeon in or is it
small enough to tackle on our own?

Lynda

In article , Rod
writes

"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
Hi

Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
off the floor, in the recent (very) high winds. It's about 20 feet high
and 6-7 ins diameter trunk. As it's not that old (probably 7 years or
so) we were able, once the winds died down, to stand it back up and
strap it very temporarily to a fence post. Obviously it can't stay like
that

I'm only going to tell you what Tumbleweed has already told you. Todays
storm will have presented several of us with planting opportunities (we've
got a couple of full grown Beeches and a few other things down - I was close
by when one of the Beeches fell this morning) That Robinia will never really
be safe and secure again so spend a tenner or less on a small new tree.
Small trees get chance to make decent roots before the plant gets too heavy
and more often than not they will catch up with heavy standards planted at
the same time. They will always be more secure than trees put in as large
plants.

Rod


Something that might be worth mentioning is that the area where the tree
was planted had been gravelled over by the previous owners, perhaps a
couple of years ago. I don't suppose this or the lining (which in some
places seems to consist of large plastic pieces) could have had an
effect on the tree - and any replacement - could it?

Lynda

"Jane Ransom" wrote in message
...
In article , Lynda Thornton
writes
A friend of mine once had a large oak tree that blew down in a gale -
and I mean down ie as horizontal as it is possible for a fallen over
tree to be. So, he decided to take a chain saw to it and chop it up and
sell it for firewood - might as well make some money out of it. So he
started at the 'top' with the small branches.
Well, when he had chopped off about half of the branches, the tree
started groaning and moaning and tossing and turning itself, or so it
seemed to my friend who jumped well clear of it!!!!!
Then what happened was that the tree gradually swung itself back up to
the vertical position.
It is still there today )))))))))

So, I say shove it back as close to vertical as you can get it, chop off
half of the top branches, fill in any holes round its roots and see what
happens!!!!!!!!!!!


Yes it happens here like that sometimes and it's OK if there's room for it
to fall later without undue damage but I still prefer to remove them if
possible or if the grownups will let me.

Rod

"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
In article , Rod
writes

Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
Something that might be worth mentioning is that the area where the tree
was planted had been gravelled over by the previous owners, perhaps a
couple of years ago. I don't suppose this or the lining (which in some
places seems to consist of large plastic pieces) could have had an
effect on the tree - and any replacement - could it?

Well we've just had a long dry spell and that stuff could have kept the
roots drier than they like tho' Robinias are fairly tolerant of most things.
I like to ensure there's nothing to impede free passage of air and water
around roots - I always feel sorry for trees surrounded by tarmac etc but
gravel over a permeable membrane is OK so long as there isn't much heavy
vehicle traffic over the rootzone.

20ft/6in dia and it's already been down at 30 degrees I expect 2 of you
would be OK with that with a bowsaw(depends how much room you have for
mistakes). If you leave some of the trunk on as a 'handle' you might be able
to get the roots out without too much trouble.

Rod

In article , Rod
writes

"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
In article , Rod
writes

Our robinia tree in the back garden got blown over to about 30 degrees
Something that might be worth mentioning is that the area where the tree
was planted had been gravelled over by the previous owners, perhaps a
couple of years ago. I don't suppose this or the lining (which in some
places seems to consist of large plastic pieces) could have had an
effect on the tree - and any replacement - could it?

Well we've just had a long dry spell and that stuff could have kept the
roots drier than they like tho' Robinias are fairly tolerant of most things.
I like to ensure there's nothing to impede free passage of air and water
around roots - I always feel sorry for trees surrounded by tarmac etc but
gravel over a permeable membrane is OK so long as there isn't much heavy
vehicle traffic over the rootzone.

20ft/6in dia and it's already been down at 30 degrees I expect 2 of you
would be OK with that with a bowsaw(depends how much room you have for
mistakes). If you leave some of the trunk on as a 'handle' you might be able
to get the roots out without too much trouble.

Rod


OK, thanks very much Rod, advice always appreciated!

Lynda