Uprooted Leyland Cypress: Proper Staking for Revival?

[TopNotch]

We received a call today to determine whether or not two Leyland Cypress that were blown over by severe winds last night will live. I'm nearly positive that we can revive them through uprighting the trunks and solidly staking them down. Both have not fully uprooted and downed, but are more or less leaning over, as they are supported by a fence rail.

I know that these are hardy trees, but I am most concerned with the one that has about half of the root structure torn from the soil. The other has just enough lean that the soil at its base is portruding and cracking. We would like to avoid tranplanting or removal.

Our ultimate struggle is how to properly stake them down after we upright the trees. Since there is a driveway on one side, and the direction that they're leaning is away from the drive, HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THE STAKING PROCESS? Obviously, we can't stake into the driveway!

Can anyone offer advice or tactics to accomplish this? They are very healthy, about 6 yrs old, and the soil underneath is a heavy clay. Here are the some pics of the situation...

 

[treeslayer]

they're done for.
They will most likely die, you can delay it, but inevitable. I've seen hundreds of Leylands do this, they will be brown in a month or so.

besides, they're cheap, pull em out and replant.

 

[kkottemann]

I believe you have 2 options for survival here. first, you can stand the tree upright and brace from the opposite side. you will have to get creative with your bracing, but it might work. Second, dig the tree up completely and replant. either of these options will call for proper root pruning and plenty of feed. I am no expert on leyland cypress, however i have had pretty good success down here (post katrina and every other strom that blows over) with small ornamental's and native southern crab apples. I think your best bet is to dig her up and replant...take time to excavate around the root system and any roots holding on need to be cut clean with shears or hand saw. replant and include root stimulater in your feeding cycle. Good luck!

 

[TopNotch]

They are an easy one to replace, but the homeowner is requesting to save them if possible. So I want to upright and stake them, with NO guarantee of survival of course, but what should we use to brace the back of the trunk since it's not possible to stake the front?

 

[treeslayer]

carefully position a long piece of rigid conduit, about 1'' diameter or so,
(softer ground, bigger pipe) next to the trunk and drive it in most of the way, leave about 3' up, tie to that. stepladder and a big sledge, I used a ground rod driver.
this has worked for me in the past. Well, to hold the tree up any way, not necessarily save it.

good luck though, ya never know.

 

[treeseer]

if the owner is willing to shorten them and prune them for width (needed near driveway anyway) then yes they can stay. Use 2x4's to anchor the roots; attached.

bad plant choice for that site, obviously; high maintenance at best.

 

[TopNotch]

bad plant choice for that site, obviously; high maintenance at best.

Agreed. Thanks for the article.

 

[treeseer]

Agreed. Thanks for the article.

Thank ISA; I saw the poster at their conference.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Probably a waste of time.

I recall countless evergreens that we staked, guyed, braced and anchored at the country clubs.

Any of those similar to the trees in your photos, all blew over again.

Site looks too wet for roots to anchor right. Canopy is too top heavy. And if a few roots get started, the trees proportionately out-grow them.

About the only thing that may help, is to channel the water away if there is hard top like the photo seems to show. That may be 2/3s the problem.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I agree with others, that it is a poor site for these trees. There is no room for root expansion as the tree gets larger.

However, if the homeowner wants to try and save them. Here is what we have done, trying to pull up cedar hedges. I would get 2" thick wall pipe and a post hole pounder (3' length of 4" pipe, with a thick plate welded on one end, with handles on the side - similar to the door battering ram the cops use). Drive the pipe in the ground at least 2-3' in the ground, the deeper the better. Make sure it is about 6' above ground. Using webbing and wire, tie the tree back to the pipe.

We had a similar situation, where the hedge was growing next to a public trail, so it was heavily weighted away from the trail. The trees of the hedge began to lean due to the weighting and saturated soils. Two sections of hedge were straightened, one using steel pipe and the other using 2" wooden stakes. The pipes held, whereas the wooden stakes broke due to the bending stress put on them to pull the weight of the hedge.