Leaning White Ash Fix?

[Jerrold]

I put this question up once already, but then I couldn't find it when I looked for it.  I'm thinking I did something wrong, so if this posted twice I apologize.  

 

We have a White Ash tree about 25ft tall and 10" in diameter trunk at the base.  It's a fairly young and VERY healthy tree.  All the limbs cut from it heal quick and nicely so.  I noticed a circle impression in the dirt around it yrs ago.  It's looked as if the person who planted it, didn't pack the dirt around it very well and it settled over time.   It is on a slight hill and the bottom 1/3 of the tree has always leaned to one side and then it grows fairly straight after that.  It gives it character as far as I'm concerned.   Except, I've noticed a heaving on one side over the last few yrs and I think the tree is leaning more, or it has settled perhaps, I'm not sure it's hard to tell and should probably make a way to measure it.  I'm wondering if the tree was root bound in the pot when it was planted and it wasn't broken up properly.  We had a few bushes and small trees we moved when we bought the place, and the roots on them were still bound in a ball when we dug them up.  And we had a row of leaning trees we had to remove for that same reason, so it wouldn't surprise me.   

 

I trimmed the back side to remove some weight, hoping that would help. I was thinking of carefully digging a hole along side of the tree where the rim impression is, to get a look at the roots.  I could also use a hose to wash or blast away the dirt, causing the least harm to the tree as possible.  If anyone thinks that's a good plan and I find a basket wall of roots, can I severe them to break the circle so to speak?  If so, should I prune a few at a time and give the tree a chance to recover or just go for it?   I used to be a landscaper, and I have seen trees planted poorly.  This one shows a lot of the signs of that.  Maybe it just settled over time and it's fine?  But how would I know if I don't explore the roots?  I'm afraid to wait too long and be sorry I did.  I could prune the top to help remove weight and reduce the wind sail while it recovers.  But I'm afraid trimming the lead of the tree might create weakness issues later that I don't want and it has great symmetry right now.  I could build a steel brace for it if need be, while the roots rebuild.  But would I ever be able to remove it and trust the tree?  

 

If anyone has ideas, opinions or experience with this we are all ears.  I'm willing to do whatever it takes to save it.  Such a great tree and very healthy, no signs of stress at all - just the opposite.  It's growing like a weed so I have to do something before it's too late if it's not already.  Or should I just leave it alone?   Thanks everybody!

Edited April 30, 2020 by Jerrold

[Rough Hewn]

Get a professional to air spade the roots.
Then cut appropriate girdlers.
[emoji106]

[Stere]

Bit hasty to throw money at it? ?

 

 

 

 

Could be leaning due to prevaling wind direction not girdles?

 

 

More pictures would be usefull showing whole tree etc and surroundings

[Stere]

Quote

I'm not sure it's hard to tell and should probably make a way to measure it.

Could try a plumb bob

 

https://www.bartlett.com/resources/determining-change-of-lean.pdf

[Jerrold]

Plumb bob's a good idea< will do that.  I didn't know what Air Spading was until now, pretty interesting. That's what I was talking about doing with water and a hand spade, but likely take forever to do compared to air.  I'll check into prices on that, if there's even anyone around here that does that sort of thing. At least now I know something can be done and I'm on the right track.  Thanks everybody!  Here's a pic of the tree too.  It's pretty sheltered by a barn and a shop, and it's on a slight slant as well. Hope this helps.....

[Boo Who?]

Looks to me like it has been poorly planted, as the taper at the base of the trunk isn’t quite right. There isn’t any root flare, has the ground level been altered? Or perhaps it spent too long in a pot before it was planted and was buried deep to try and compensate for poor form. But also the lean looks to be due to suppression by the larger dense maple behind. It has grown with a lean chasing the sunlight, but it looks like the main leader is now correcting itself and taking a more vertical route. I’d keep an eye on the ground at the base of the tree and check for movement or a gap opening between the trunk and soil, but not worry, it seems to be sitting itself out.

[Rough Hewn]

Looks to me like it has been poorly planted, as the taper at the base of the trunk isn’t quite right. There isn’t any root flare, has the ground level been altered? Or perhaps it spent too long in a pot before it was planted and was buried deep to try and compensate for poor form. But also the lean looks to be due to suppression by the larger dense maple behind. It has grown with a lean chasing the sunlight, but it looks like the main leader is now correcting itself and taking a more vertical route. I’d keep an eye on the ground at the base of the tree and check for movement or a gap opening between the trunk and soil, but not worry, it seems to be sitting itself out.

Wild guess here...
Looks like someone landscaped the area?
Tree doesn't look right.
Looks buried.
Air spading is pretty straight forward.
It's deciphering the roots that's the clever bit, which ones can be cut, which ones can't.
You may have to go several feet down if the ground has been raised.
[emoji106]

[Stere]

Had to look at photos  few times before I spotted that maple peaking into shot

 

Good detective work  ?

 

 

 

 

[Jerrold]

Yes, good eye! There is a very wide Norway Maple close to the same height nearby and that Ash does tend to grow less on that side as it blocks some of the sun in the very early part (30%) of the day.  I keep the Maple trimmed away from the Ash so they both have good amounts of healthy foliage between.  I do see what you mean as to how it has righted itself.  But this year it just doesn't look as straight as I recall thinking that it was last time I gave it a serious look.  Maybe my mind's playing tricks on me?  I do remember thinking though, that the top half was nice and straight so I wasn't going to worry about it.  The ground does seem more exaggerated, but I do think some ground settling may be to blame?  Someday I'll learn to take pics or write things down instead of being in a hurry and not making time.  I did notice yesterday when I was investigating the ring around the tree in the dirt.  Where there is faint cracking in the dirt, there were a milliion ants pouring out of it when I disturbed the soil.  It got me to thinking that there could be some cavities dug out by them that's making it worse.  If that's even possible?  I will be finding something to get rid of them that won't hurt the tree.  Maybe diluted Neem Oil poured around it as a preventative?   Can't hurt can it?

 

There hasn't been any raising of the ground to my knowledge, for what it's worth.  I did landscape the ground bringing in dirt and planting grass.  Only to bring the yard up to the area the tree was on and to fill the dips nearby, so I could mow easier.  But it wasn't a big mound either, more of large but gradual hump that needed more gradual sloping. That dirt would be about 5-6ft out from the tree so it's not close in. 

 

Is there any reason why I couldn't use a garden hose to wash out the area that's heaved up at the base, to check for girdling?  I have an air compressor, but 130 psi probably isn't enough. 

 

Also, should I dig gently around the base and locate or double check that the collar is at the proper height?  Since it's tilted, shouldn't the ground remain tilted as well, to make sure the collar is exposed properly? Or will it be fine if one side is lower than the ground level?

 

Thank you all for the help, it means a lot to us.