Fallen spruce

[deb1919]

Our new home has a 30' spruce tree in the back lying on its side. The former owner says it fell 2 summers ago in a storm, and he just never got rid of it. Thing is, it's still alive & growing. Plus there's a gap in the treeline where it was. I'd love to save it, is it likely that the roots will survive being righted?

 

[Stumper]

Possible but not likely. Especially after 2 years. Considering the need for guying for an extended period and the liklihood of breaking the surviving roots while straightening it up removal is probably the best course of action.-All this is a sight unseen diagnosis of course-can you post a picture?

 

[NeTree]

I have had success on smaller trees by root-balling them and then basically re-planting the tree upright. Whether this would be practical or affordable in the case of your tree I can't say.

 

[Dan F]

The other thing to consider is that the branches or tips on that are contacting the ground are probably dead at this point, and (assuming it fell towards your house?) if you did get it stood back up, you would be looking at what appeared to be a dead tree....


Dan

 

[MasterBlaster]

Leave it as is and train it to grow up, sideways like that, like some trees on the bayou.
A character tree, kinda neat, kinda weird.

 

[Guy Meilleur]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
Leave it as is and train it to grow up,

Or a compromise; trim away the dead and unneeded branches, push it up as vertical as you can and then prop it.
If the tree is part of a hedge, removal is the last resort because that gap will be there likely as long as the owner is.
mb your plan may be a good one in some landscape but in most square footage is too precious and the "wierd" look that many of us like is underappreciated.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
Leave it as is and train it to grow up, sideways like that...A character tree, kinda neat, kinda weird.

My first choice.

If I were called on something like this I would recomend slowly thinning it out. the prop that Guy talks about may still be needed as the bottom branches are removed.

Work with what you have and enjoy something different. Maybe turen it into an "evergreen arbor" or whatnot. Pergola?

I would also say build some soil up around the heaved root-plate.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Thin it out, raise it up, and bury the roots. That's a prescription I wouldn't have thought of in a million years.

The only time I have had success restanding trees is if I dig under the raised root plate, then pull it back up. You need to dig more than enough to straighten it. A tree this size, it might be best to use a backhoe because of the amount of soil that will need to be excavated. The tree wil also need support once it is straightened, at least for several years and probably permenently.