Leaning tree

[BenE]

Hi there,

Our condo association has a large tree in the backyard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Every few years the branches are trimmed away from the house, but the ones growing away from the house keep getting bigger. I've owned my condo since 2008, but haven't lived there since 2010. I am there maybe once a year or so to move-in new tenants or check on something. Just this past month I noticed that the tree has completely switched directions in the way that it leans. The neighbor to the north recently removed their fence in order to rebuild it, but I can't imagine that was a major factor. Another problem (other than possible eventual uprooting) is that now it is dangerously close to the power lines that run diagonally across the backyard from northwest to southeast. I am guessing that the solution is to balance out all of the cutting on the east (house-) side with some cuts to branches on the west side, but I'd like some professional advice. The owner of another condo unit in the building had a guy come out and say "it's fine, it is just leaning towards the sun." Thanks!

 

[lone wolf]

Hi there,

Our condo association has a large tree in the backyard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Every few years the branches are trimmed away from the house, but the ones growing away from the house keep getting bigger. I've owned my condo since 2008, but haven't lived there since 2010. I am there maybe once a year or so to move-in new tenants or check on something. Just this past month I noticed that the tree has completely switched directions in the way that it leans. The neighbor to the north recently removed their fence in order to rebuild it, but I can't imagine that was a major factor. Another problem (other than possible eventual uprooting) is that now it is dangerously close to the power lines that run diagonally across the backyard from northwest to southeast. I am guessing that the solution is to balance out all of the cutting on the east (house-) side with some cuts to branches on the west side, but I'd like some professional advice. The owner of another condo unit in the building had a guy come out and say "it's fine, it is just leaning towards the sun." Thanks!

If it switched directions big trouble coming! Look at the ground where the roots are at the base and see if it lifted up and is heaving or spongy if so you have a legit emergency there.

 

[Raintree]

How can a tree switch direction of lean when it's up against power lines on one side?

 

[BenE]

How can a tree switch direction of lean when it's up against power lines on one side?

Did you open the picture?

 

[Raintree]

Yes, tree leans left, wires over the stump on right. Tree hasn't moved only the camera angle has changed.

 

[BenE]

Yes, tree leans left, wires over the stump on right. Tree hasn't moved only the camera angle has changed.

The wires are not over the tree, they are under it. Look closely. The camera is tilted more upwards in the second picture, yes. That isn't relevant. The tree is now leaning left where it wasn't before.

 

[Raintree]

Don't get your panties in a knot Bennie. If the tree has started to lean over that means it's up-rooting. Follow the advice given by Lone Wolf's post above.
Your statement, "...the tree has completely switched directions in the way that it leans." As an arborist this is completely ridiculous when you have wires on one side of the tree.

 

[2412]

It looks like there is a drop off in the soil level just past the removed fence line. Can’t tell how close it is to the tree or how deep or abrupt it is, or how close it is to the tree.

 

[CacaoBoy]

The wires are not over the tree, they are under it. Look closely. The camera is tilted more upwards in the second picture, yes. That isn't relevant. The tree is now leaning left where it wasn't before.

Even if the lean of the tree was unchanged, I would not want that tree over power lines leading to my home. Determine whether it is you or your homeowners' association that is responsible for maintaining the trees. If the HOA is responsible, ask it to take action. If you are personally responsible, take action before a storm brings it (or even just a large branch from it) down on the power line.

The owner of another condo unit in the building had a guy come out and say "it's fine, it is just leaning towards the sun."

Even if the "guy" was a qualified arborist does not mean that his opinion is correct. Last year an arborist said a banyan tree 2 miles from me was "fine". To see the "fine" and the way the tree looked 3 days later, look at https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/banyan-trim-gone-wrong.319408/.

 

[lone wolf]

The tree was leaning slightly right (away from the wires). Now it is leaning left (towards the wires). I don't understand what is ridiculous about that.

Get rid of it before a storm hits it! Notify the board members and tell them it should be treated as an emergency that's why you pay fees every month right? At least that's how it works in NJ here.

 

[BenE]

Get rid of it before a storm hits it!

Thanks. I'd like to try and save the tree rather than get rid of it, if possible. I posted on here because I wanted to confirm if my theory was correct, e.g. that all the trimming on one side over the years, while letting the other side grow, has resulted in the lean. I'm just going to assume I'm correct and ask someone to trim the other side. Unfortunately I'm just finding names on Angie's list and passing them to the person that lives there. I'm not physically present.

 

[BenE]

It looks like there is a drop off in the soil level just past the removed fence line. Can’t tell how close it is to the tree or how deep or abrupt it is, or how close it is to the tree.

Very good point! Yes our neighbor's backyard is "sunken" from our level, which might add to the problem because the roots have to deal with that.

 

[BenE]

Even if the lean of the tree was unchanged, I would not want that tree over power lines leading to my home. Determine whether it is you or your homeowners' association that is responsible for maintaining the trees. If the HOA is responsible, ask it to take action. If you are personally responsible, take action before a storm brings it (or even just a large branch from it) down on the power line.


Even if the "guy" was a qualified arborist does not mean that his opinion is correct. Last year an arborist said a banyan tree 2 miles from me was "fine". To see the "fine" and the way the tree looked 3 days later, look at https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/banyan-trim-gone-wrong.319408/.

Totally! I posted that quote about the "guy" because I was completely unimpressed with his answer. Which is why I'm now looking for someone else!

 

[BenE]

Don't get your panties in a knot Bennie. If the tree has started to lean over that means it's up-rooting. Follow the advice given by Lone Wolf's post above.
Your statement, "...the tree has completely switched directions in the way that it leans." As an arborist this is completely ridiculous when you have wires on one side of the tree.

I can see now how you were confused and thought that the tree had defied the laws of physics and magically passed through the wires. I apologize if my explanation came across as harsh.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Sure looks like an accident waiting to happen. Was anything done to the ground on the side under the power lines? Was the yard sunk after the tree was already there? If so, it looks like a lot of roots would have been removed. Any photos of the tree before all the pruning?
I'm also surprised a HOA would permit such crazy tree pruning in the first place as well as a tree growing that close to power lines. Should have been removed long before this.

 

[lone wolf]

Sure looks like an accident waiting to happen. Was anything done to the ground on the side under the power lines? Was the yard sunk after the tree was already there? If so, it looks like a lot of roots would have been removed. Any photos of the tree before all the pruning?
I'm also surprised a HOA would permit such crazy tree pruning in the first place as well as a tree growing that close to power lines. Should have been removed long before this.

Were the made aware of it.

 

[BenE]

Sure looks like an accident waiting to happen. Was anything done to the ground on the side under the power lines? Was the yard sunk after the tree was already there? If so, it looks like a lot of roots would have been removed. Any photos of the tree before all the pruning?
I'm also surprised a HOA would permit such crazy tree pruning in the first place as well as a tree growing that close to power lines. Should have been removed long before this.

Nothing done to the ground on the power-line side, no. I'm posting an updated diagram to show where north is. The yard to the north is sunken, as you can see in the 2019 pic. However I don't know when that was done. I'm pretty sure it was around 2010 or so, so it is not a new thing. And the tree was doing ok until recently. So the sunken yard might be a factor, but not the only factor. I don't have any good pics offhand showing what the tree looks like in-between prunings. But basically the entire yard gets filled with the branches from the tree, growing to the east (towards the porch structure and house. you can see the porch supports in the 2019 pic). Right now in the 2019 pic you can see a really big branch growing west over the neighbors yard. Imagine one like that which grows east as well. Over time the one growing west keeps getting bigger and bigger, and the one growing east keeps getting trimmed.

 

[ATpro]

Looks like to me the whole thing needs to come down and solve the problem for good!

Sometimes it's best to just bite the bullet and do the right thing and save future problems.

 

[lone wolf]

Looks like to me the whole thing needs to come down and solve the problem for good!

Sometimes it's best to just bite the bullet and do the right thing and save future problems.

I just might come down if the rain and wind are right!

 

[CacaoBoy]

The local electric company might do the tree removal for you if they are responsible for power lines to the point of the service entrance. (places I have lived that was typical.) They do not want that tree coming down on their lines during a storm. You do not want live power lines on the ground outside that home if the tree goes down during a storm.

I'm just going to assume I'm correct and ask someone to trim the other side.

Your property, your decision, but note that the consensus here seems to be that a trim to lighten the load is not likely to be sufficient.