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Leaning Tree

Paul SPaul S Posts: 2
in Problem solving

Hello

I have a small tree in the front garden of my rented house that's been leaning over since I moved in but it's now getting worse.  There's a picture of it here:  http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj30/PaulSten/CIMG1267.jpg

Can anyone suggest the best way of getting it upright again? I was going to put a fence post next to it fixed with postcrete and tie it on but I'm not sure if there's a better, less unsightly way of doing it.  It's been propped up with a broomstick in the past image

Any suggestions gratefully accepted.  Thanks for reading, Paul

Posts

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    Hi Paul - your link doesnt work !!

  • Ron RichardsRon Richards Posts: 5

    Paul

    The only way to straighten the tree is to wait until October and dig underneath the "high side" of the root ball to undermine it and then pull it straight.  Sounds dramatic and it may well loose a third of its roots but it is a willow and you need to try harder than that to kill them.  To minimise the risk of disease in the roots that you break make a clean cut into undamaged tissue before you re-fill the hole.   

  • Paul NPaul N Posts: 303

    I agree Ron. Paul needs to look up TIRFOR JACK. After digging a small trench on the 'high side' (ie the right side in the image) and cutting through a few roots, a stake needs to be hammered deeply into the ground and tree and stake connected to the tirfor jack. Then the tree can be winched into a vertical position. He will also need to insert a couple of poles on the low side to prevent the tree from slowly creeping back to it's original position. 

  • Paul SPaul S Posts: 2

    Hi Ron & Paul, thank you both very much for the advice.  I'll have a read up on Tirfor Jacks, but leave it till later in the year.

    marshmello, not sure why the link doesn't appear to be live but it copies and pastes ok, thanks for picking it up image

    Thanks again, Paul

  • Green MagpieGreen Magpie Posts: 806

    I'm glad this has come up, as we have a Kilmarnock (weeping) Willow with the same problem. It's been fine for several years but this year it's leaning right over and seems a bit unstable. I'll save the tips given here (thanks guys!) and tackle it in the autumn if it survives that long.

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