My summer vacation/Save a tree...

[rjwaldren]

Short version...

Last night someone hopped the curb and drove up into my yard taking out the only tree currently planted out there. It's not a big tree, about 12-15 feet tall maybe 5" at the base. It wasn't uprooted so I can't really see the root damage, but it did skin the bark pretty deep for better than three feet up the trunk.

If I pull it upright will it likely survive, or should I just call it a loss and chop it up now?


Long version...
Today is day one of 9 days off, from a job that will be gone in 3 months, things have been stressful around there. I really need the time away...Work is like a funeral and with a newborn rest is rare. So...About 4:00am my 7-week old son woke up crying, fed him but he kept going...This woke up my four year old who began crying because momma was getting ready for work. Once I had the boy calm I went in and was laying with my daughter to get her back to sleep. After a few minutes my wife walks in to tell me the tree is down. I went out to check it, walked back into the house and into our bedroom. Then in a stroke of genius punched the wall with my left fist (I'm a lefty). As I held my hand looking at a pile of perfectly good pillows, I thought, "that felt good" but I probably could have chosen better. After popping the bones for my two outside fingers back into position, I packed up the kids and headed to the emergency room. I returned about 3 hours later with some nice photos of three breaks in my outer palm, and still feeling better than I have in weeks.

I'm not saying that I chose correctly, but my shoulders feel a lot lighter now though my hand is throbbing. Unfortunately my planned shop time is delayed again, and I'm a hand short when I comes to taking care of the tree.

[dbhost]

Did you find the car attached to the tree? I would bet not...

I am thinking you MIGHT be able to salvage it, but more than likely not...

I would suggest ripping the tree out, dropping a new one in its place, and building a nice, solid, rock wall along your sidwalk, say about 18" tall? Build a nice terrace sort of thing so you put some nice plants up there, and keep the cars away from your tree, and your house!

Too often I see these deals where a drunk runs his / her car off the road, and into somebody's bedroom where a child is... I know the bleeding hearts are gonna complain about putting a solid barrier up there, but you need to protect your family first. To heck with the drunks who chose to drive! If they hurt, or kill themselves on your rock wall, so be it.

[rjwaldren]

I picked up a new support post and have an extra set of hands coming by to help raise it, but I'm doubtful that it will survive.

You are correct that the vehicle was mysteriously missing from the scene. They were very lucky they came in diagonally between a pole and a cinder block wall that I've considered extending. They maybe had 1ft clearance on either side at the angle the tracks show. Just tracks mind you no skidding or digging into the ground. At first it looked intentional but changed that opion after seeing it in daylight.

[cabinetman]

I'm always an optimist about giving another chance. Try digging it up carefully without too much root disturbance, and replant (a straightening of sorts). Affix a wood support guide to hold it in place. Use a suitable fertilizer, proper watering, and put on a feathered headdress and do a daily growth dance (to drums of course). Hey, the get-up and ritual can't hurt.
.

[djcannon]

I'd give it a chance

I see these trees live all the time

As an adjsuter I have handled several claims where we paid a landscaping company to stake out trees and they lived. I once had a claim where a upsetting cell phone conversation while driving led a gal into a apple orchard. The orchard ended up being able to save half out of a dozen trees that looked remarkable similar to yours.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[rjwaldren]

Cabinetman,

I'm donning the headdress, I don't know if it will save the tree, but it sounds like a good time.

[Ed62]

I'd guess you have a chance to save it, and not much to lose by trying. Just make sure you keep enough water on it, especially until it gets a good start.

Sorry to hear about the hand. But sometimes it does make a guy feel better when he lets it all break loose.

Ed

[rjwaldren]

Well, my father came by friday evening and we stood it up. The following morning all the branches on the damaged side were dangling. With the drying that occurred the fibers just shredded at the damage points. So I had to cut them off. It looks fine from the kitchen window, but from the street it looks like it was run over by a truck.

It will survive but since it's the first thing seen when turning into the neighborhood, I should replace it. So I'm shopping for good shade trees, I want two more out front anyway. I think I'll pick up a three foot length 4" steel pipe and a couple of bags of quikrete. If it happens again and they manage to drive away they won't be hard to track down.

[dbhost]

Just finish up that block wall. That should keep 'em off your lawn...

Might get the liars, uh, I mean lawyers after you though...

[pelligrini]

It looks fine from the kitchen window, but from the street it looks like it was run over by a truck.

It was run over, and probably by a truck. I'l give it some time and see if it will grow back.

[jAngiel]

I'm guessing that it will survive. I had a couple of trees that were knocked over when a wind storm here took out a couple sections of my wood fence. The fence was laying on top of my trees, they were laying/bent all the over to the ground under the fence. I picked up the fence and proped the trees back up. They are still alive today and doing great. This was back in 99 or 2000 timeframe.