help saving a tree

I have a client that has a decorative pine or cedar, 20-25 ft tall and approx. 4-6 inces in diameter. The tree is leaning, still living, and wants me to straighten it out and stake it. What is the best way to accomplish this goal and approximate price or lenght of time to accomplish? Thanks!

 

P.S. The tree did not grow that way, Hurricane Isabell's handy work.

 

Hook up a tow rope with a Diesel truck and yank the sucka....Just kidding DON'T do that.

Last year we had to do the same thing to a 20 ft. Maple. We had to dig a huge root ball and prune some of the feeder roots and then we had to use good leverage ( if you could use a truck - might come in handy) to stand the tree back up. Our maple was leaning about 10% (because of a nearby storm-straight line winds). Then we back filled and supplied the roots with a fertilizer (for transplant shock). We probably didn't have to use the Fert. , but we did just in case.

Hope this helps...good luck

 

We did the same thing to some 25ft tall leyland cypresses. We hooked up a chain to the tractor and pulled them just past being straight, Then we tied them off with a heavy nylon rope, with hose around the truck for protection, and attached them up with 2 stakes in the ground. Then when you let the tension off of the tree, it sets up perfectly straight when you get tension on the nylon rope and stakes.

 

If I am not mistaken the customer did call it a leland pine. Look more like a cedar to me. Still looking for price or length of time help.

Thanks!

 

P.S. again- I think I will need some kind of tractor to pull the tree up. Last guy used truck and caused ruts in the yard.

How deep do I make the stakes NCSULandscaper?

 

Probably a Leyland Cypress. You might have to dig a little infront of the rootball to allow room for the tree to come back. Not sure what it looks like though. Stakes will have to go in far enough to hold the tree. Depends on alot of factors. Just charge what you would normally want to get an hour. Estimate the staking at 2 hours without a machine, 2 guys.

 

Yeah, if it is a Leyland Cypress, please be careful. The root system of a Leyland is a little touchy...just from my experience.

DON'T overwater the Leyland either....Not good.

 

Ask-

If you are at all concerned about the longevity of the tree, hire a consulting arborist! Or at the very least, a certified arborist with a good reputation. Go to http://www.isa-arbor.com and search the "find and arborist link". Also try the ASCA (American Society of Consulting Arborists, I believe) site, I think it's www.asca.com or .org, not sure which.

Short of those suggestions, go to www.arboristsite.com, register, ask the same question on the commercial board, and see what the response is. Those guys make thier living by trees, they know what they are doing! Not saying the guys and gals here don't, but the AS folks are probably a little more current on info. Several of them even worked the clean-up after Isabel, you may have run into some of them.

I'm not familiar with the tree so I can't give you any suggestions. I would NOT, repeat, NOT fertilize it after straightening. Only water. Fertilization only pushes new growth, which with a damaged root system could eventually cause death.

HTH, look into the links I provided!


Dan

 

Thanks for all the info!