Trunk "hinged" at ground level

12 years ago

Six-foot Maple, trunk diameter 3/4" at bottom.
Bends extremelly from base unless staked.
Tree normal in all other respects, and looks healthy.

What do we expect of this tree in the long term :
- permanent weakness in that area?
- strengthening to nornal strength?

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Comments (5)

User
12 years ago
IF you properly stake it, it should develop a better trunk.

You need to stake it with 2 stakes a foot or so away from the trunk, with some slightly stretchy material holding the tree upright between them so it can flex a bit.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/634.html
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
really.. 6 foot .. three quarter inch??? ... it can in no way look NORMAL in all respects ....

cut it to one foot.. and let it releader.. seems like you have a lot of maples.. experiment ...

i am now wondering if these are all potted seedlings ... and you are really struggling with them .. tell us more about your scheme ... i am wondering about proper fertilization ... and how you got it this tall w/o becoming thick enough ...hmmmm

staking will not solve the inherent problem.. it might for this tree.. but it should not have ended up in this form ...

if you wont cut it.. get a 6 foot bamboo pole.. and a pair of old nylons... and tie that pole right to the trunk.. thereby making a thick trunk ... shove it in the ground a foot first ....

and if it ends up breaking.. see above.. re: shortening it ...

ken
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four (9B near 9A)
Original Author
12 years ago
> Posted by ken_adrian
> how you got it this tall w/o becoming thick enough

That is these things' normal growth here. Red Maple.

> if these are all potted seedlings

Sprouted and continued in ground. Either in original spots, or relocated when little.

> struggling with them

No, just addressing conditions that I notice.

> tell us more about your scheme

All is told above. Trees arise, I intervene or not, as needed.

> 6 foot bamboo pole... making a thick trunk

I would be more inclined to stake/thicken it low,
so as not to hinder the desirable swaying in most of its height.
krnuttle
12 years ago
First I would not cut it down. It sounds like you got a little to enthusiastic in trimming the tree and it grew in the only way left to it, UP.

I would stake as said above and ignore it for the next five years, except to make sure the bindings on the tree are loose and not cutting into the tree.

I would not cut anything not even a leaf from it in the next five years. At the end of that time you can remove the stakes and enjoy the beautiful tree it has become.
four (9B near 9A)
Original Author
12 years ago
> Posted by knuttle
> It sounds like you got a little to enthusiastic in trimming the tree
> and it grew in the only way left to it, UP.

Wanting me to repeat myself, eh? Ok : "That is these things' normal growth here."

> I would stake as said above

Which of the two methods said above: outlying stakes? or stake to trunk?