can my big birch be saved

[germy01]

I have a large birch tree in my back yard with at least part of it hanging over my house. I know I have to get rid of those branches but are the other ones worth saving or take the whole tree down. Thanks in advance for your input

 

[jason j ladue]

welcome germy, what makes you feel like you must get rid of any part of that tree? none of it looks very threatening to me. i think i'd let it be...

 

[germy01]

Thanks for the welcome, I am kinda worried about the branches over my garage/house and the damage it would cause if the broke off in a storm, but I like the tree its one of the biggest birches I have seen

 

[jason j ladue]

germy, birch is prone to breaking in a storm- particularly when it's freezing. i gotta go out for a while but i will bring back some pictures and an explanation as to why you should leave the tree alone...

 

[jason j ladue]

okay, here's my theory...when a birch stem breaks it is far more likely to stay attatched to the tree rather than come clean off- especially when you are talking about a limb that was horizonal (before it broke). look at these...

 

[jason j ladue]

last year we had a terrific ice storm here. worst in years, maybe ten. the birches took it bad. i worked on dozens of them- but i cant think of one that did any damage. seems to me like the only limbs that actually make it to the ground (and i'm talking about birch here) are the vertical stems. i am imagining that is because they have more potential radius in falling, to build up momentum. the tip rotates 180, pointing directly into the middle of the canopy and the weight of the butt end, springing away from the tree, carries them to the ground... another thing you will notice about the general tendencies of a cracked birch limb is where they break. normally they dont break or ripout @ the branch union as you see in so many other species. they tend to break mid-stem or at the tip. anyway, good luck. i think the tree is fine, all things considered.

 

[treeseer]

The limb over the house needs 3 small cuts to train it clear--could be done with a pole pruner by standing on the roof.

The attachments look good from here. Don't fear your tree.

 

[chipper]

A few snips here and there. Otherwise, looks like a nice birch to me!

 

[Old Monkey]

It seems like a fine tree. Even if parts fall, they usually don't weigh much when they do and cause little damage.


Don't be surprised if a guy, lovingly named "clearance" comes on here and tells you, "you should cut it down!" He also might, quite wittily I may add, refer to the rest of us as "tree huggers." Please give him no mind, he was bullied by a rowdy gang of cottonwoods as a child and he's never fully recovered.

 

[clearance]

Seen way worse trees but just to be sure you could remove the arm going right toward the building and prune the other close one.

 

[Old Monkey]

Well, he certainly proved me wrong!

 

[clearance]

Ha Ha

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Is that new construction? It looks like there has been a grade change around the tree. The soil looks like it might be several inches too deep on the house side. Grade changes are really hard on trees. From my experienc in Minneapolis birches will deteriorate quickly because of compaction or grade changes. Without regrading you would be likely to see crown dieback within a couple of years of the damage. Again, in my experience, once birches start to decline they die. Some other tougher trees will decline and stabilize.

 

[treeseer]

It looks like there has been a grade change around the tree.

Smart of Tom to look to the roots--I didn't :blush:
The tree may not look well to you becasue it is already starting to decline; that would explain the dead-lpooking twigs over the roof. How long since construction?

Removing the whole limb over the house would creat a large wound on the trunk. The tree is strained by root damage and cannot grow scar tissue very well. Decay sets in , the tree hollows out; now you have a hazard. OldMonkey you were right; that prescription was a slow removal.

See www.treesaregood.com for ways to reverse this tree's decline.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The tree presents little or no problem for the house and is a really nice Birch. The best thing for the tree is to simply remove dead limbs as they appear, maybe once a year.
As Guy pointed out, the tree is under stress and removing any living branches would be the worst thing for the tree. Taking off the whole branch over the roof could be the beginning of the end for the tree.
If the tree is really valuable to you, there is a chemical called Cambistat, that has be shown to help stressed trees recover. At around $150 to apply, that has to be a judgment call for you.
Also with any stessed Birch comes the possibility of Bronze Birch Borers, so a precautionary dose of a systemic like Merit may be called for too.

 

[a_lopa]

i took a limb like that off for an elderly lady as she really had her heart set on clearing the eaves,it dripped water the whole time i was there from the collar ,it really was the begining of the end,i would leave that tree

 

[germy01]

Thanks everyone for the replies, for now I think I will let it stay and clean up the dead branches. The garage was done about 5 years ago that is the reason for the grade change back there, so far the tree seem healty except for a few dead branches. Thanks again everyone for the help

 

[a_lopa]

if the tree was there before the garage it deservse to stay

 

[SawTroll]

Good decision

...I think I will let it stay and clean up the dead branches.....

I think you made a good desision - nice birch , although a little odd looking. I guess the top must have been broken when it was very young.

 

[treeseer]

for now I think I will let it stay and clean up the dead branches.

And what about the bottom half of the tree? Will you let it stay smothered, or will you aerate that fill and give it a chance so you don't get a lot more dead branches?