If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
|
Posted by Nate Nagel on May 4, 2008, 8:17 am
Hi all,
I've got a redbud tree (at least that's what I've been told it is) in my
front yard. Unfortunately it is growing at an angle, hanging over the
street and actually around a streetlight. It is a very pretty tree but
looks like hell. I think it did this because it was competing with an
oversized elderberry bush that was left untrimmed by the previous
owners. The redbud has two main trunks, one about 4" and the other
about 3" in diameter.
So yesterday I figured I would try to pull the tree straight and bought
some cable, clamps, and instead of a stake I bought a ground rod
figuring that a typical wooden stake wouldn't hold this tree (I have a
small ironwood in the back yard that I'm doing the same treatment to.)
I cut the ground rod in half, drove one half into the ground a few feet
away from the tree, and started setting up the cable. Gave SWMBO a
wrench with instructions that she should tighten the cable clamps while
I was pushing the tree upright and pulling the cable taut. I set my
back against the main trunk, held the loose end of the cable (I bought
the cable long enough that I could loop it around the ground rod and
back to the tree) took a breath, pushed, and... nothing. The damn tree
is STIFF.
Then things got stupid. I pulled the truck around front, tied a loop in
the cable, and dropped it over the trailer hitch. Carefully I inched
forward, but as soon as the cable pulled taut, the ground rod bent, and
the cable slipped off of it. (this is better than what I expected,
which was the cable snapping and whipping around. So SWMBO was standing
well away from all this mess.) It had a good bite in the ground, but
bent right where the clay under-soil gave way to actual topsoil, maybe
9" to a foot below the surface.
So what do I do with this tree? it's the prettiest tree in my front
yard, but looks very ghetto as it's been allowed to grow at such an
angle. What can I use as a stake that's stronger than a ground rod?
Rebar? And how do I pull it without using a pickup truck (e.g. safely)
I'm thinking two cables, each with a turnbuckle in the middle,
alternately being shortened, or maybe I should just bite the bullet and
invest in a good, heavy come-along.
nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
|
|
Posted by hallerb@aol.com on May 4, 2008, 8:46 am
> Hi all,
>
> I've got a redbud tree (at least that's what I've been told it is) in my
> front yard. =EF=BF=BDUnfortunately it is growing at an angle, hanging over=
the
> street and actually around a streetlight. =EF=BF=BDIt is a very pretty tre=
e but
> looks like hell. =EF=BF=BDI think it did this because it was competing wit=
h an
> oversized elderberry bush that was left untrimmed by the previous
> owners. =EF=BF=BDThe redbud has two main trunks, one about 4" and the othe=
r
> about 3" in diameter.
>
> So yesterday I figured I would try to pull the tree straight and bought
> some cable, clamps, and instead of a stake I bought a ground rod
> figuring that a typical wooden stake wouldn't hold this tree (I have a
> small ironwood in the back yard that I'm doing the same treatment to.)
> I cut the ground rod in half, drove one half into the ground a few feet
> away from the tree, and started setting up the cable. =EF=BF=BDGave SWMBO =
a
> wrench with instructions that she should tighten the cable clamps while
> I was pushing the tree upright and pulling the cable taut. =EF=BF=BDI set =
my
> back against the main trunk, held the loose end of the cable (I bought
> the cable long enough that I could loop it around the ground rod and
> back to the tree) took a breath, pushed, and... nothing. =EF=BF=BDThe damn=
tree
> is STIFF.
>
> Then things got stupid. =EF=BF=BDI pulled the truck around front, tied a l=
oop in
> the cable, and dropped it over the trailer hitch. =EF=BF=BDCarefully I inc=
hed
> forward, but as soon as the cable pulled taut, the ground rod bent, and
> the cable slipped off of it. =EF=BF=BD(this is better than what I expected=
,
> which was the cable snapping and whipping around. =EF=BF=BDSo SWMBO was st=
anding
> well away from all this mess.) =EF=BF=BDIt had a good bite in the ground, =
but
> bent right where the clay under-soil gave way to actual topsoil, maybe
> 9" to a foot below the surface.
>
> So what do I do with this tree? =EF=BF=BDit's the prettiest tree in my fro=
nt
> yard, but looks very ghetto as it's been allowed to grow at such an
> angle. =EF=BF=BDWhat can I use as a stake that's stronger than a ground ro=
d?
> Rebar? =EF=BF=BDAnd how do I pull it without using a pickup truck (e.g. sa=
fely)
> I'm thinking two cables, each with a turnbuckle in the middle,
> alternately being shortened, or maybe I should just bite the bullet and
> invest in a good, heavy come-along.
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel
get a arborist to look at it, you probably cant pull it straight, but
may be able to trim it repeatedly to improve its appearance
|
|
Posted by ransley on May 4, 2008, 8:53 am
> Hi all,
>
> I've got a redbud tree (at least that's what I've been told it is) in my
> front yard. =A0Unfortunately it is growing at an angle, hanging over the
> street and actually around a streetlight. =A0It is a very pretty tree but
> looks like hell. =A0I think it did this because it was competing with an
> oversized elderberry bush that was left untrimmed by the previous
> owners. =A0The redbud has two main trunks, one about 4" and the other
> about 3" in diameter.
>
> So yesterday I figured I would try to pull the tree straight and bought
> some cable, clamps, and instead of a stake I bought a ground rod
> figuring that a typical wooden stake wouldn't hold this tree (I have a
> small ironwood in the back yard that I'm doing the same treatment to.)
> I cut the ground rod in half, drove one half into the ground a few feet
> away from the tree, and started setting up the cable. =A0Gave SWMBO a
> wrench with instructions that she should tighten the cable clamps while
> I was pushing the tree upright and pulling the cable taut. =A0I set my
> back against the main trunk, held the loose end of the cable (I bought
> the cable long enough that I could loop it around the ground rod and
> back to the tree) took a breath, pushed, and... nothing. =A0The damn tree
> is STIFF.
>
> Then things got stupid. =A0I pulled the truck around front, tied a loop in=
> the cable, and dropped it over the trailer hitch. =A0Carefully I inched
> forward, but as soon as the cable pulled taut, the ground rod bent, and
> the cable slipped off of it. =A0(this is better than what I expected,
> which was the cable snapping and whipping around. =A0So SWMBO was standing=
> well away from all this mess.) =A0It had a good bite in the ground, but
> bent right where the clay under-soil gave way to actual topsoil, maybe
> 9" to a foot below the surface.
>
> So what do I do with this tree? =A0it's the prettiest tree in my front
> yard, but looks very ghetto as it's been allowed to grow at such an
> angle. =A0What can I use as a stake that's stronger than a ground rod?
> Rebar? =A0And how do I pull it without using a pickup truck (e.g. safely)
> I'm thinking two cables, each with a turnbuckle in the middle,
> alternately being shortened, or maybe I should just bite the bullet and
> invest in a good, heavy come-along.
>
> nate
>
> --
> replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel
You will kill or severly damage it by breaking its roots
|
|
Posted by Phisherman on May 4, 2008, 9:02 am
wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I've got a redbud tree (at least that's what I've been told it is) in my
>front yard. Unfortunately it is growing at an angle, hanging over the
>street and actually around a streetlight. It is a very pretty tree but
>looks like hell. I think it did this because it was competing with an
>oversized elderberry bush that was left untrimmed by the previous
>owners. The redbud has two main trunks, one about 4" and the other
>about 3" in diameter.
>
>So yesterday I figured I would try to pull the tree straight and bought
>some cable, clamps, and instead of a stake I bought a ground rod
>figuring that a typical wooden stake wouldn't hold this tree (I have a
>small ironwood in the back yard that I'm doing the same treatment to.)
>I cut the ground rod in half, drove one half into the ground a few feet
>away from the tree, and started setting up the cable. Gave SWMBO a
>wrench with instructions that she should tighten the cable clamps while
>I was pushing the tree upright and pulling the cable taut. I set my
>back against the main trunk, held the loose end of the cable (I bought
>the cable long enough that I could loop it around the ground rod and
>back to the tree) took a breath, pushed, and... nothing. The damn tree
>is STIFF.
>
>Then things got stupid. I pulled the truck around front, tied a loop in
>the cable, and dropped it over the trailer hitch. Carefully I inched
>forward, but as soon as the cable pulled taut, the ground rod bent, and
>the cable slipped off of it. (this is better than what I expected,
>which was the cable snapping and whipping around. So SWMBO was standing
>well away from all this mess.) It had a good bite in the ground, but
>bent right where the clay under-soil gave way to actual topsoil, maybe
>9" to a foot below the surface.
>
>So what do I do with this tree? it's the prettiest tree in my front
>yard, but looks very ghetto as it's been allowed to grow at such an
>angle. What can I use as a stake that's stronger than a ground rod?
>Rebar? And how do I pull it without using a pickup truck (e.g. safely)
>I'm thinking two cables, each with a turnbuckle in the middle,
>alternately being shortened, or maybe I should just bite the bullet and
>invest in a good, heavy come-along.
>
>nate
|
|
Posted by Phisherman on May 4, 2008, 9:02 am
wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I've got a redbud tree (at least that's what I've been told it is) in my
>front yard. Unfortunately it is growing at an angle, hanging over the
>street and actually around a streetlight. It is a very pretty tree but
>looks like hell. I think it did this because it was competing with an
>oversized elderberry bush that was left untrimmed by the previous
>owners. The redbud has two main trunks, one about 4" and the other
>about 3" in diameter.
>
>So yesterday I figured I would try to pull the tree straight and bought
>some cable, clamps, and instead of a stake I bought a ground rod
>figuring that a typical wooden stake wouldn't hold this tree (I have a
>small ironwood in the back yard that I'm doing the same treatment to.)
>I cut the ground rod in half, drove one half into the ground a few feet
>away from the tree, and started setting up the cable. Gave SWMBO a
>wrench with instructions that she should tighten the cable clamps while
>I was pushing the tree upright and pulling the cable taut. I set my
>back against the main trunk, held the loose end of the cable (I bought
>the cable long enough that I could loop it around the ground rod and
>back to the tree) took a breath, pushed, and... nothing. The damn tree
>is STIFF.
>
>Then things got stupid. I pulled the truck around front, tied a loop in
>the cable, and dropped it over the trailer hitch. Carefully I inched
>forward, but as soon as the cable pulled taut, the ground rod bent, and
>the cable slipped off of it. (this is better than what I expected,
>which was the cable snapping and whipping around. So SWMBO was standing
>well away from all this mess.) It had a good bite in the ground, but
>bent right where the clay under-soil gave way to actual topsoil, maybe
>9" to a foot below the surface.
>
>So what do I do with this tree? it's the prettiest tree in my front
>yard, but looks very ghetto as it's been allowed to grow at such an
>angle. What can I use as a stake that's stronger than a ground rod?
>Rebar? And how do I pull it without using a pickup truck (e.g. safely)
>I'm thinking two cables, each with a turnbuckle in the middle,
>alternately being shortened, or maybe I should just bite the bullet and
>invest in a good, heavy come-along.
>
>nate
Cut it down and plant a new tree.
|
Page 1 of 7 1 2 3 > last >>
| Similar Threads | Posted | | Tree Roots from neighbor's tree causing sewer problem Keller, TX??? | December 26, 2005, 11:41 am |
| How to get rid of a fallen tree that is leaning on another tree? | October 15, 2007, 4:15 pm |
| split tree branch - tree.JPG (0/1) | December 30, 2007, 5:38 am |
| How to get a straight line? | April 30, 2006, 7:00 pm |
| Looking for straight nipple | November 25, 2007, 8:48 am |
| How to drill straight? | March 29, 2008, 7:13 pm |
| Should wooden fences always be run in a straight line? | May 24, 2006, 10:51 am |
| Painting a straight line (when you can't draw one) | October 19, 2006, 10:26 pm |
| re: Straight Dope on Home Depot | December 1, 2006, 7:22 pm |
| Straight and level outlet boxes | January 10, 2007, 7:56 pm |
|
|
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap