Tree tilt

[4wanderingeyes]

I have a 4 year old tree that the main leader has decided to curve sideways. The tree is 16-20 feet tall, do I need to try to get it supported up as soon as possible? If so, what do you use of that length that will support it? PVC? How do you get up that high to attach it? What do you attach it with? I was hoping to not spend much tike in the orchard this year, or in the food plots, and just take it easy this year, and spend my available time building, rather then on trees, and plots.

 

[aerospacefarmer]

Maybe a couple of t posts and I used ratchet straps on mine jus need to be careful the bark doesn’t grow into it. Go as high on the tree that has good strength and gets you the desired straightness. Might take more than one adjustment

 

[Lot2Learn]

I had a similar problem recently and I used:
Stakes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJWCI30/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Webbing to tie off: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LBJLMO6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Prof.Kent]

Sometimes pruning is the answer.Prune so that the tree is back in balance. Remove the top that is leaning if that solves the problem. Once a tree decides to lean I find it very difficult pull it back.

 

[Jhoss]

I've done this but the whole damn tree was leaning / threatening to fall over. I have trees that suddenly get a crick in their back and hunch over. Unless your damn quick and creative - not much you can do but prune as the Prof says. I leave the hunched part as more watersprouts will shoot off the "shoulder" of the curve which can be the new central leader - or - tied horizontal to promote more watersprouts which will turn into fruiting wood eventually.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Jhoss, did it bend over due to heavy fruit load?

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I guess I will try to figure something out, I was afraid that was going to be your answers.

 

[sandbur]

Jhoss, did it bend over due to heavy fruit load?

That has happened to me on several trees and I was just looking at them today. I can’t get up there to lighten the fruit load, so I just do what I can and forget it.

I had a 10 foot piece of conduit, but that’s not going to work.


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[Prof.Kent]

Take a long stick and knock off the fruit early that is high up each year. Eventually the tree will stiffen with age and won't lean.
Otherwise, buy a pole saw and shorten the tree.

 

[sandbur]

Take a long stick and knock off the fruit early that is high up each year. Eventually the tree will stiffen with age and won't lean.
Otherwise, buy a pole saw and shorten the tree.

I was thinking a shorter tree might work just as well.

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[Jhoss]

Jhoss, did it bend over due to heavy fruit load?

Yes it was so loaded it was going to tip over. That was 2016. In 2017 it took the year off (zero apples) - yay for me, I forced it biennial! - exhausted I'm sure. This year its gonna be gangbusters! Another major load!

 

[Prof.Kent]

Yes it was so loaded it was going to tip over. That was 2016. In 2017 it took the year off (zero apples) - yay for me, I forced it biennial! - exhausted I'm sure. This year its gonna be gangbusters! Another major load!

Dont let it break under the load!

 

[WTNUT]

I have a 4 year old tree that the main leader has decided to curve sideways. The tree is 16-20 feet tall, do I need to try to get it supported up as soon as possible? If so, what do you use of that length that will support it? PVC? How do you get up that high to attach it? What do you attach it with? I was hoping to not spend much tike in the orchard this year, or in the food plots, and just take it easy this year, and spend my available time building, rather then on trees, and plots.

A picture would help, but here is what I did in two instances. It is a combination of what most have said. One apple tree had started leaning because I let too much fruit stay on up high and it pulled the central leader over one year. My solution was to get three sizes of electrical conduit. Lets use 1/2”, 3/4” and 1” for example. I took the 1” and cut it in half then I drove it in the ground next to the trunk. I used the full length of 3/4”, but about 2/3 of the way up I drilled a hole through it large enough to get an 8 penny nail through. I slid the nail in, slid the 1/2” conduit inside the 3/4” conduit then slid all of that in the 1” conduit. Next got in the bucket of the tractor and tied the central leader the conduit. It straighten the next year and I have thinned the fruit on it every year since.

My second was a pear tree that I did not care a lot about. It bent severely for some unknown reason. One of the laterals started growing straight up since the central leader was leaning. I cut the central leader off at the base of the lateral and the lateral turned out to grown and today you can’t tell much other than the tree looks fine.


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[4wanderingeyes]

I know a picture is worth a thousand words, but it is 200 miles away, and when I was back in the orchard, I had left my phone back in the cabin. I actually took no pictures last weekend, but I will be back up over the 20th, and I will take some pictures.

 

[WTNUT]

I know a picture is worth a thousand words, but it is 200 miles away, and when I was back in the orchard, I had left my phone back in the cabin. I actually took no pictures last weekend, but I will be back up over the 20th, and I will take some pictures.

Oh you get a pass - 200 miles is a long ways. Makes my 75 miles to the farm seem like a stones throw.


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[4wanderingeyes]

Well I went up last weekend, and went to the orchard just to take a picture, I even brought my phone with me this time for that purpose. The tree looked like an upside down "L" the top 3-4 feet was at a right angle from the rest of the tree. I know I didnt describe it well last time. So I went back to take a picture of it, the tree was back to straight. I have no idea what happened, maybe it was just a dead branch hanging on the top, but there is no other trees close enough that could have dropped a branch onto it. I am not sure how it could have grown straight in a couple weeks, after being bent, but I thought I would update the post.