personally.. i really need a pic to come to any conclusion ....

i would rather cut a tree down rather than top it ...

it does not need food or fert ....

a little extra water wouldnt hurt.. but if you water your lawn.. it will get everything it needs..

think of it this way ... it has prospered for decades.. and the storm did nothing to hurt its root mass ... so it will take care of all that.. like it has been since it was planted ...

as for the uglies.... well the aesthetic is up to you ...

BTW.. how close to the house is it???? and if so, what would have happened if the wind was from the other direction.. that may be the root of the decision ... how safe are you from this tree????

ken

Pix please or any recommendation is worth the pixels it is printed on. Far, far too little information given.

Dan

Anyone who suggests topping a tree, well, just ignore everything they say.

You will probably have better luck contacting a certified arborist ( many tree services have their own on staff) than with a landscaper. Just because they have education and training in the area of trees doesn't mean they will be expensive either. Many come out and give a free consult.

Thanks everybody.

The tree is about 30' from the house. If it ever falls eastward, it will in fact hit the house.

We also have a lot of oaks and maples in the back which are very tall as well.

Good point about the root system. I didn't think about that.

Guess I'll just have to pray it makes it. Overall, it is a healthy tree. It just got whacked really badly this time.

You should have seen me out in the blizzard with a long pole knocking the snow from the branches I could reach. Took a few "butt plants" and was "dumped on" a few times :), but it was worth it. None of the lower branches broke. As I said, I LOVE that tree.

I'll call the County for an arborist recommendation prior to having it pruned.

Thanks again for your help.

Melanie

if it is a danger to you or the house.. i would not waste money on pruning.. and prayer..

without a picture.. i recommend removal ...

are you really willing to spend 500 to a thousand dollars today.. with failure an option.. and 1500 in 5 years when you find out your prayers were not answered in regard to this tree ...

seriously.. pines this size are FOREST trees.. where they may or may not make a sound when they fall ...

the cute little puppy someone planted near their house.. has turned into the monster it always was.. and it is not really suited for suburbia ... IMHO ...

think long and hard about it all .. and it never hurts to ask a local pro ... now you have some info to have a quality discussion ..

ken

White Pines often get spanked hard by large falls of heavy wet snow. Usually its just relatively minor side branches that break off, however. This often causes them to lose their "formal" shape, but in general I find them more interesting a few years afterwards. Unless the tree is actually leaning compared to before the winter, I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

It's looking like it's bouncing back. Is budding and they look healthy. Looks like "Bubba Pine" (my nickname for it) is going to be fine. Thank goodness. I love that tree and didn't want to lose it.

The shape is a mess, but I'll deal with that later in the year.

I found one down the street as well. It's smaller than mine and got battered as well. It doesn't look nearly as good as my tree. Hopefully, it will come back too.

Thanks for sharing

M

Ken,

Why would you recommend removal of a tree that has just had branches broken? White pines lose branches all the time from winter storms and they don't just fall on houses due to that. If the tree isn't leaning seriously, it should be just fine. I have seen many, many giant white pines in urban areas and I'm glad the owners don't have the same opinion of them you do. Just because a large tree is near a house doesn't mean it is a realistic risk.

white pines do indeed break after ice events..they will recover but esthetically , its your call. dont ever top a tree. if you want to thicken out a white pine cut back the middle candle on the branches.