Advice on fallen Cornus kousa please!

[Treeation]

So, My cleint has recently lost an 8m tall Cornus Kousa during strong wind/ wet snow combo. The tree holds high amenity value for them and we are discussing the possibly of winching it back up and guying it.

 

I have inspected the fallen tree and made followind observations. 

Good points - crown health excellent, no dieback whatso ever. Plenty of live fibrous roots present. Good anchor tree behind to undertaking winching.

 

Bad points - Over half of structural roots exposed on the root ball have white rot and were fairly mushy. Loose bark around cambium. Some presence of honey fungus rhizomorphs around roots.

So initial thoughts point to Armiallaria.....which if the crown had died would be a fairly obvious cause of death. I am bit mythed though as physiolligally the crown is in excellent health and I am also bearing in mind that not all Armiallaria are pathogenic.

 

I dont want to waste my clients money on an operation that might be a waste of time but there is also a bit of me that thinks if the tree can still feed itself through a sound fibrous root system and recieves support through guying then there may still be some future for the tree....or.......Armillaria has caused white rot in the structural roots but hasnt advanced in the stages of killing the cambium so tree should be written off.

 

Any thoughts would be welcomed!

 

Also what would best way to ground anchor it? what materials to use? how many anchors etc?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Buy another and plant elsewhere in the garden. That one is firewood.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

[Gary Prentice]

5 minutes ago, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi said:

Buy another and plant elsewhere in the garden. That one is firewood.

The soil looks pretty heavy, I wonder if a high water table and anaerobic conditions have killed the root which has then succumbed to colonisation? 

 

Its not the advisors job job to decide though, only to advise and give opinions. I’d personally discuss the concerns that the colonisation will probably lead to death, but if there’s a lot of emotional attachment to the tree, give it a go. I wouldn’t recommend underground guying due to cost and the integrity of the root plate. Improve the rooting environment with woodchip as much as possible and see what happens. 

No guarantees, a couple of hours work but let the client accept the risk of failure.

 

just my two pence worth

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

5 minutes ago, Gary Prentice said:

The soil looks pretty heavy, I wonder if a high water table and anaerobic conditions have killed the root which has then succumbed to colonisation? 

 

Its not the advisors job job to decide though, only to advise and give opinions. I’d personally discuss the concerns that the colonisation will probably lead to death, but if there’s a lot of emotional attachment to the tree, give it a go. I wouldn’t recommend underground guying due to cost and the integrity of the root plate. Improve the rooting environment with woodchip as much as possible and see what happens. 

No guarantees, a couple of hours work but let the client accept the risk of failure.

 

just my two pence worth

I don't think it will stay upright on its own Gary and adding woodchip is unlikely to improve drainage but may provide extra food for decay organisms. 

By all means faff around with it and see if you can save it, but I think buying and planting another elsewhere is the best insurance policy!

[Gary Prentice]

Sorry, writing on my phone. I meant don’t underground guy, just above ground support - maybe a couple of posts and a low crossbar to stabilise the rootplate.

 

i do kind of agree with you, but it’s up to owner to make the decision. If the OP thinks it’s pointless, by all means say so, and provide information on the options.

 

I’d get a cost on a big replacement, then say it will be £x to winch upright with a 25/35/45% probability that it’ll die over the next few years or replace with a new tree for £x. 

 

With luck, the owner does both.

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

13 minutes ago, Gary Prentice said:

I’d get a cost on a big replacement, then say it will be £x to winch upright with a 90/95/100% probability that it’ll die over the next few years or replace with a new tree for £x. 

 

With luck, the owner does both.

Corrected that for you Garry

[se7enthdevil]

if it gets cut up could i have a bit of the trunk as a sample and some to turn?

 

3-4' would do.

[Gary Prentice]

12 hours ago, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi said:

Corrected that for you Garry

Only one ‘r’ in Gary

[Khriss]

Professionally, I would fail it and recommend new root ball replanting.  

 

If it were in my own garden, I would get three steel stakes n use lorry rachet straps to re-erect. Rotavate an improve soil around it, checking soil water and type with nearby test pit. Guy it firmly fr first few months then ease off straps as rooting secures tree so that a bit of movement is possible. An be not suprise if a year or two later it's given up, k  

[openspaceman]

36 minutes ago, Khriss said:

I would get three steel stakes n use lorry rachet straps to re-erect.

Whenever I have attempted to right trees it has been necessary to remove some soil on the side to which you are pulling, otherwise the roots that are still in the ground get pulled.