Problem with 25-foot Arborvitaes

[AlexJ3]

I have a row of closely spaced arborvitaes about 25 feet in height. They have been fine for 20 years with no care other that watering in drought. They have remained very healthy. In the past couple of months, heavy wet snow, wind soggy soil have tipped two of them to about 10-20 degrees from vertical. I can't cable them as that would have to be in the neighbor's yard. In order to save the rest of them...how much, or can I have the tops cut off without killing them? Was thinking to make them less top heavy. But task would be difficult. Hate to lose them!

 

[Streblerm]

I would go to the neighbor and as if he would rather see a couple cables in his yard for a short period of time or holes in the hedge forever.

I'm sure both of my neighbors would choose the cables, but they are both good neighbors.

 

[AlexJ3]

Cabling Arborvitaes

I would go to the neighbor and as if he would rather see a couple cables in his yard for a short period of time or holes in the hedge forever.

I'm sure both of my neighbors would choose the cables, but they are both good neighbors.

Thanks....His kids are young teens and pretty active with sports in their backyard...wouldn't want to risk them getting hurt and me getting sued. How about putting a brace up 2x4 and keep shifting it in my yard?

 

[RedlineIt]

It's a lot of work, but I've run a good length of black PVC pipe through a recoverable hedge to give an internal structure to tie back to.

If you can get it through five or six stout neighboring partners, you can get really good strength.

Once you get it tied back, have some one top that hedge off, even the best job will look like like it has been chewed off by a rat, but better than looking at you neighbor.

RedlineIt

 

[AlexJ3]

Interesting suggestion...and thank you...I may try this after getting the two trees straightened up a bit with the 2x4 thing...Ground here is still very wet, soggy, soft, so the board prop idea might get them close to straight, then try your method of keeping them in alignment.

Anyone else have other ideas?

It's a lot of work, but I've run a good length of black PVC pipe through a recoverable hedge to give an internal structure to tie back to.

If you can get it through five or six stout neighboring partners, you can get really good strength.

Once you get it tied back, have some one top that hedge off, even the best job will look like like it has been chewed off by a rat, but better than looking at you neighbor.

RedlineIt

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Although it would be a type of topping, to not top them basically heads toward even greater problems down the line.

That variety was never really prime for long-term retention.

I've only seen 2 arborvitae in 30 years that actually grew a main stem with real branches growing at spaced intervals.

All the rest just have a mix of twigs and weakly formed trunks and stems.

Consider taking off about 1/3 of the height.