What is the best course of action for this tree?

[Goose IBEW]

I have an oak that is in the middle of a field with 2 more trees behind it. The "front" of the tree, what you see from the road looking into the property is simply stunning. I raised the canopy to about 12' last year and everything is going well from that pruning. Here is the front:

The front faces south so it gets the bulk of the sun and thrives. I guess my issue is that the tree is very unsymmetrical. The branches go about 45' outward from the trunk on the south side.

The north side of the tree is just about flat, maybe 10' of branches going out from the trunk.

As you can see there are 2 trees behind it and this is where my question basically lies. I feel that the north side of this tree is being crowded by these 2 trees.If I cut those two trees down, will the north side of this oak start to fill in? My thoughts are in random order #1 its too little, too late, its too mature for the back side to ever catch up. #2 at this stage, the 2 trees are a wind break and removing them could change the dynamics and make the desirable tree more prone to storm damage. #3 the two trees to the north are crowding the main tree and removal would benefit this oak.

This pic is looking straight up between the main trees and the two questionable trees.

Here is another from the north looking south.

One more for good measure.

Any additional insight is greatly appreciated. This is a field of about one acre. In addition to these two trees in question, I am removing 5 of what I call bull pines and raising the canopy of some oaks further back to create a kind of feel like a park would provide. Thanks in advance once again.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Most trees are not symmetrical.

Maybe begin to accept it and enjoy it as is.

 

[BC WetCoast]

The three trees are acting together in providing each other with wind support. Along forest edges after logging, they have what are called anchor trees, which provide support to other trees around it and minimize windfall.

Aesthetically, the other trees are providing the symmetry you are looking for. Look at the three trees as a single entity rather than individuals.

 

[Goose IBEW]

Thanks for validating. I have no problem what so ever with that response and that will be my course of action. The main tree has a little dead wooding to do and will definitely trim some on the other two once the leaves drop.

I have about a 20' cedar in the corner which has a pine shading it. I may have to leave this one pine to preserve the cedar so 4 pines to remove, grind stumps and rake out the remains. Gonna be a nice acre of field!

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

I don't care how silly or overly- redundant this may sound: I would install a supporting rope or cable for the branch that supports the children's swings. Then I would swing the children until they puked.

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Actually the tree being so unbalanced could leave a good chance it will fall over towards the heavy side. Oak trees that old are sure to have some amount of root decay.

 

[ATH]

Agree: I'd consider the trees all one group. removing the back trees will leave your big one looking worse. It will probably fill back in...but that may be 20 years.

Disagree: no need to cable the limb. That is a big limb. The force of 4 kids swinging from it is less than a decent wind...which obviously the tree has endured a few of those being that big. Also disagree about concerns of the tree tipping over with not further information to suggest there is a problem. Yes - look for evidence of root decay, check the base of the tree and get it looked at by somebody who has no financial interest in removing the tree if you see any concerns. But, there are many, many, many oaks much larger and older than that. Without more evidence that we see here, I'd have no reason to think this tree has less than 50 years to live.

 

[miko0618]

Yes the other trees are blocking the growth. A tree only has use for limbs that hold light gathering leaves. Most trees that lean or are stressed in a particular direction grow to resist that and are actually stronger against failing in that direction. Its only when the tree grows symetrical and looses major weight off one side that it becomes a danger. However, if it does fail, its going over in the heavy direction. Which, atleast, is predictable.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Lot of 'guess's ya got there,,,opcorn:
Jeff

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

Lot of 'guess's ya got there,,,opcorn:
Jeff

yeah and its just not good to guess with kids under the thing.

A tree can and will just spontaneously shed a low large limb that has grown long out stretching the upper canopy in the dead of summer on a calm hot humid sunny day. It does not happen very often, it happened to me, I have watched it happened and get called to clean them up after it has happened.

Sometimes when you see a large old oak with its lower limbs layered into the soil you can see where the breaks have been up by the collar. Just because it breaks doesn't mean its going to die.

 

[Goose IBEW]

That large limb has work to be done. There is a 3/8 chain that is growing into the limb. I'm guessing someone was pulling engines 25 years ago or so. I am going to slice it with a cordless grinder then work it out of the bark. The one swing at least will be removed. I can build a swing set if I need a place to hang one.

 

[BC WetCoast]

yeah and its just not good to guess with kids under the thing.

A tree can and will just spontaneously shed a low large limb that has grown long out stretching the upper canopy in the dead of summer on a calm hot humid sunny day. It does not happen very often, it happened to me, I have watched it happened and get called to clean them up after it has happened.

Sometimes when you see a large old oak with its lower limbs layered into the soil you can see where the breaks have been up by the collar. Just because it breaks doesn't mean its going to die.

I have seen Sudden Limb Drop fairly regularily in black cottonwood, but never in other trees. Have you seen it in oak? In the cottonwoods, when they drop, they fail away from the stem, not near the collar.

 

[ATH]

Don't damage the bark to get the chain out...at this point you are hoping it will grow over the chain. But do get as much out as you can without damaging bark (be careful with the angle grinder heating the chain too much to burn the bark.

Somebody was truly a "shade tree mechanic" huh?