Should I replace this tree?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Kbgd1

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
9
Reaction score
2
Location
Idaho
Came with the house I believe it's a redspire flowering pear. It's always had a bend a few inches up from the bottom of the trunk and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'd say it's about a year old. I live in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho and wind gusts can get pretty high some days. I've heard this isn't the best of trees for windy conditions? If I should remove it does anyone have suggestions on a nice tree that can handle high winds. Can handle deep sprinkler waterings up to 30 minutes every 2 days during the peak of summer and wouldn't take more then a ladder or pole extended clippers to trim. I think my zone is 7a. Thanks! :) (Yes my grass looks like crap whoever the builder hired to install the grass did a terrible job I'm dealing with a lot of heavily compacted soil and rocks that won't allow me to penetrate more then 2 inches into the soil)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6488.JPG
    IMG_6488.JPG
    1.7 MB · Views: 35
  • IMG_6489.JPG
    IMG_6489.JPG
    1.8 MB · Views: 30
First thing I would do is get rid of the rocks and apply a mulch ring - and don't pile it up against the trunk. When doing this, make sure the root flare isn't buried. If they screwed up the grass that bad, who knows what they did when they planted the tree.
Really rocks eh? I mostly see rocks being applied to garden beds and around trees here in the treasure valley but I can absolutely switch to mulch. My whole garden and various areas around the lawn is themed with landscape rocks you don't think this would look odd do you ?
 
First thing I would do is get rid of the rocks and apply a mulch ring - and don't pile it up against the trunk. When doing this, make sure the root flare isn't buried. If they screwed up the grass that bad, who knows what they did when they planted the tree.
That's what I was thinking. What is the bend a sign of? Not comfortable enough to grow properly?? Soil too compacted or rocky? The tree it self doesn't look unhealthy but the bend in the trunk is definitely an ugly sight. Replaced with mulch. :)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6493.JPG
    IMG_6493.JPG
    2.6 MB · Views: 12
It looks to me like that was where the upper stem was grafted on the root stock. It's a common nursery practice to graft a showy/fruiting tree onto a hardier root stock, flowering japanese cherries are all done like this. You're talking to tree guys here, that mulch ring should be about 3-5 times the diameter.

Lawn looks fine to me, but I would never waste the time mowing that much lawn. I'd find better uses for my yard.
 
It looks to me like that was where the upper stem was grafted on the root stock. It's a common nursery practice to graft a showy/fruiting tree onto a hardier root stock, flowering japanese cherries are all done like this. You're talking to tree guys here, that mulch ring should be about 3-5 times the diameter.

Lawn looks fine to me, but I would never waste the time mowing that much lawn. I'd find better uses for my yard.
Got ya I'll extend it. Okay sounds good I'll keep it. My next battle is the sprinklers. I run them 30 minutes once every 2 days and the tree is in direct path of one fairly close about 3 feet away and a couple others a good distance but still spray water onto the trunk. I'll probably have to redo my sprinkler system otherwise I'll damage/kill the tree over time right?
 
Yeah...not a good idea to have that hitting the trunk of the tree. See if you can redirect a couple of heads to still cover the area without hitting the tree.
 
It looks to me like that was where the upper stem was grafted on the root stock. It's a common nursery practice to graft a showy/fruiting tree onto a hardier root stock, flowering japanese cherries are all done like this. You're talking to tree guys here, that mulch ring should be about 3-5 times the diameter.

Lawn looks fine to me, but I would never waste the time mowing that much lawn. I'd find better uses for my yard.
Can I make the ring a little smaller then this? I feel like it's a little too big what do you think? :)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6494.JPG
    IMG_6494.JPG
    2.5 MB · Views: 13
Yeah buddy! I even saved the sod around it. I'll add a layer of soil in the morning and some mulch woo thanks fellas! I'll use that sod to patch up my rough spots around the yard!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6496.JPG
    IMG_6496.JPG
    1.9 MB · Views: 19
  • IMG_6497.JPG
    IMG_6497.JPG
    1.7 MB · Views: 19
What do you fellas think about the tree getting 40 mins of sprinkler water every 2 days. One of the sprinklers hits the tree not with tremendous force but the bark and trunk definitely get wet. I have it set for early morning and she gets direct sun all day and it's mostly dry heat 95-100 degrees just about everyday so she dries up quick. Do you think it will be alright? I'd have no other choice but to hire someone to move the sprinkler heads around or attempt to do it my self.
 
40 minutes of sprinkler water will not penetrate the grass zone to the soil where the tree roots are. You would be better to put the hose out there and let it run (trickle) for an hour or more, the water has to penetrate the soil to where the tree roots are.

After your sprinklers have gone off, take a trowel and lift a small section of turf and see how deep the water penetrated (replace your divot). Then you will see if you have given it enough water.
 
Thanks guys is this enough/too much root flare exposure?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6506.JPG
    IMG_6506.JPG
    2.4 MB · Views: 16
  • IMG_6508.JPG
    IMG_6508.JPG
    2.1 MB · Views: 15
40 minutes of sprinkler water will not penetrate the grass zone to the soil where the tree roots are. You would be better to put the hose out there and let it run (trickle) for an hour or more, the water has to penetrate the soil to where the tree roots are.

After your sprinklers have gone off, take a trowel and lift a small section of turf and see how deep the water penetrated (replace your divot). Then you will see if you have given it enough water.
Hmm strange it's been doing fine all summer no signs of being underwatered and my grass is definitely not overwatered I'm pretty OCD about making sure I do deep infrequent watering on my Kentucky blue grass but in Idaho heat it definitely requires a lot of water. In the peak of summer I had my sprinklers going once every other day. All of July into early august we had mostly 100+ degree days and nothing lower then 95 with absolutely 0 rain or cloud coverage and we're currently down to no lower then 93 degrees on the 10 day forecast. But all summer up until last week I had grass around that tree so maybe it allowed to soak in better. Now that I have a decent layer of mulch surrounding the tree I guess I could see how it would need more watering. I'll definitely keep an eye on any drought symptoms.
 
I would replace it with something that doesn't have any damage to it. That spot is always going to be weak so it's better to replace it now rather then waste time trying to save that one.
As for watering the grass it will make the tree have shallow roots because they don't have to go deep for water. Everyone always wants green grass all the time because it looks better. But grass will go dormant in hot dry weather and it turns brown and looks bad.
But as soon as it gets watered it greens right back up. Lawns and trees require different growing conditions and one is not good for the other.
I would start by replacing that tree.
 
Back
Top