tree guying

[kennertree]

I have a tree to guy and there is not another tree to guy to. Has anybody ever guyed a tree using a ground anchor? Where did you get the ground anchor, and how would i go about finding one? The only thing i can think of is digging a large hole and use concrete to anchor an eye and attatch it that way. Of course it would have to be pretty deep and pretty wide to do this. Does anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[kennertree]

the tree

A little bit about the tree. It is a white oak on the bank of a lake, it is starting to show signs of movement from where the water comes up every year and washes away soil. It is aproximately 28 inches dbh. It shades a dock area and the customer does not want to lose it.

 

[treeseer]

Sounds like a prop may work to prevent sagging as well as slow erosion.

I'm all for Guying trees ararar but it's more invasive, ugly, expensive etc. on big trees. What's the height and soil type?

 

[Boa07]

Kennertree, post some pictures if you've got them. Sounds like the real problem is the erosion and trying to mitigate that is the only long term solution. However I would recommend these anchors as the best I've come accross for securing trees of a reasonable size. http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/product.asp?PG=398
We've only used them with transplants but they are very strong and the underground placement is great.

Bank erosion due to the action of water is tough to manage especially if you add the wave action from boats passing close by, ripraps, rock berms, and intensive reveg would by my initial responses given I haven't seen the site. The success of each method is very site specific, different soils, different vegetation, different bank profiles.

 

[kennertree]

The soil is clay, alot of rocks too. The tree is aproximately 55 ft. tall. I will get some picks tomorrow. The tree is leaning on one of the dock posts right now, he said the dock was built 4 years ago and the tree was barely touching the side. Kinda hard to explain, i will post some pics tomorrow.

 

[treevet]

W a 28" dbh it has to be maybe a 55 plus ht. tree unless it has been cut back. Don t know what type of tree it is but maybe it will take a drastic reduction. W that large of tree I doubt one guy will suffice. Biggest prob w guys is the potential for a kid at full steam getting clotheslined in the neck at night or even in the day. Guy would have to be way away from base of tree. Isn t there any trees back there to hook up to?

 

[kennertree]

There is a cherry tree, but im afraid its too close to guy to. I can guy to it but its less that 20 ft away so its not going to give it much stability.

 

[kennertree]

pics

Here is a view from the side, there's a few more on the way.

 

[kennertree]

This is the view from atop the dock.

 

[kennertree]

This is where the oak has started to lean on the post and pulled the 2x4 away from the other post. He doesnt know how long it has been that way, he just noticed it recently.

 

[kennertree]

This is the view below the dock. The water has came up quite a bit since i was out there the other day. I sure do like the prop idea, I'm thinking of constructing a prop made out of 6x6's and bolt them together. Anybody else ever propped a tree this large? If so, how did you do it?

 

[clearance]

Pretty hard leaner. I am not an arborist, never guyed a tree, but I almost threw a guyed top that had failed into the chipper with the hardware on it. Have worked a lot of construction and been around many power poles. I am sure the guy idea will work, they hold back powerlines under a lot of strain. . Also you could dump some big rock to stop the erosion.

 

[treeseer]

Man that 4x4 is really digging in; it's a prop. I'd brace that 4x4 with a couple more, then study the sun angle and prune off branches that contribute the least to the shade and the most to the lean. Guying that monster would be difficult and expensive and ugly.

 

[kennertree]

I think more rocks would help. That or i could build a dam around it to keep the water from reaching the soil. After i get it propped or guyed or both i was thinking some light reduction cuts on the leaning side to get some weight off too.

 

[kennertree]

That 4x4 if definately helping. I was thinking of getting a prop higher up on the tree to give it more leveage and angling the prop a bit more to help it too. Thanks for the responses.

 

[treevet]

The perspective may be misleading but from what I see I prob would take out the entire fat leader and hope for the best. You will prob get some decay but better than losing the tree in the pond. It appears deck is unsafe?

 

[treeseer]

After i get it propped or guyed or both i was thinking some light reduction cuts on the leaning side to get some weight off too.

Why wait? Shouldn't pruning be first?

I agree, the key is "light". If the shade value is high then selectively prune on that basis, and for stability. Whacking the big lead would whack most of the shade off. Reduction pruning is about minimizing wound size and rot.

 

[Justice]

Is there rot at the base on the water side? It looks like it in the picture.

If you are going to cable it I would not use duckbills. The tree in the back round might be a suitable tree to cable to but then you put both trees at risk.

If the base is not rotted then I would trim out first and then look for some solutions with regards to cabling. I would be VERY specific in my quote/contract to state that there is NO guarantee, it looks like it could be a liability.

Also it looks like a lot of work (time wise).

 

[treevet]

Why wait? Shouldn't pruning be first?

I agree, the key is "light". If the shade value is high then selectively prune on that basis, and for stability. Whacking the big lead would whack most of the shade off. Reduction pruning is about minimizing wound size and rot.

I disagree. Light pruning will have no (no) effect on stability. I see a canopy w out that fat lead. The priority here seems to be keeping the tree and then hopefully the canopy will regenerate for shade. Decay may be minimal if natural target pruning cut is made. Guying seems silly on a tree this size unless you are going to run a pier out of the water. The 2x4 described as a prop is not a prop at all IMO. The tree is in the process of going over and the small piece of lumber is imbedded in the tree. Like just said by Justice, I would CYA (cover your a s) if you even poleclip a twig on that tree in your contract.

 

[kennertree]

Is there rot at the base on the water side? It looks like it in the picture.

If you are going to cable it I would not use duckbills. The tree in the back round might be a suitable tree to cable to but then you put both trees at risk.

If the base is not rotted then I would trim out first and then look for some solutions with regards to cabling. I would be VERY specific in my quote/contract to state that there is NO guarantee, it looks like it could be a liability.

Also it looks like a lot of work (time wise).

No rot, the tree is very sound. There is a split in the trunk that must have occured many years ago judging by the healing wood.