Trees and Balance

[NickfromWI]

So I got this Italian stone pine (Pinus pinea. About 35 ft tall. It's a codominant tree. DBH is 50 inches. It's on a well known street here in LA that is lined with these trees, all similar dimensions. They are getting attacked by bark beetles pretty hard. 50% of the trees have been removed, are dead, or show signs of attack.

This lady calls me. Half her tree is dead. The other half looks....ok.



So the question: in your opinion, does cutting off half a tree destabilize it in some way where you've now created more hazard by removing the dead half. My plan would be to just cut half the codom and inject the other half



Here's a close up of the trunk.



I'd love to hear what y'all think.


love
nick

 

[Altissimus]

Yes , doing so will create an imbalanced street tree. Heavy head weak trunk.

 

[MasterBlaster]

The poor thing just needs to be removed.

 

[NickfromWI]

Yes , doing so will create an imbalanced street tree. Heavy head weak trunk.

How so? What role does the left side of the tree play in supporting the right side of the tree?


love
nick

 

[Fiddler]

I agree with the imbalance, but also feel (maybe more importantly) the compromised side root system of the co-dom structure may necessitate removal. Not sure how that species roots with that type of structure, but most trees I run into seem to only root outward form each dominant part, leaving the center holding ability weak.

I've not had good luck trying to save 1/2 co-doms...have usually only tried when leaning North, in hopes of more growth to the south thus balancing it out eventually. Most have died or fallen over before they grew enough to balance out.

 

[treebilly]

I don't think the left is supporting the right at all but that cut will never heal causing rot. We just had a Norway maple that way. Lost half in a storm leaving everything over a house. We did a crown thinning and slight reduction to try to make the tree last a few more years. The problem I was seeing was that the remaining half is now more open to wind.

 

[Underwor]

The roots on the lawn (tension) side will be supplying more support than street (compression ) side. How healthy are they? Is the trunk cambium dead on the lawn side at the root crown?

 

[Peter]

Good question.

There is an Ash near me that lost half its crown from a co-dom tearing out, its stood quite happily for years but it looks like it should fall over in a breeze.

I think trees are a lot stronger than we give them credit for, other than more wind loading I can't see how what you're proposing actually changes the status quo.

 

[sotc]

I don't think you're creating an issue by taking off "deadwood", the issue was created by nature. It is losing some wind buffer but that's happening regardless of what you do. If she wants to keep it I'd recommend monitoring it. Injections I'd probably do above the union where the tissue has been less "impacted" even though you may expose bark lower. Interesting project

 

[sotc]

Sorry, I should've said to put in a steel cable.

 

[NickfromWI]

Sorry, I should've said to put in a steel cable.

Now yer talkin! 😄


love
nick

 

[Jomo]

Put the poor bug riddled thing out of it's misery n sufferin already.

Best for tree and client. Replant with a more bug resistant species.

You're in SoCal, so a couple of Queen palms'll suffice!

Jomo

 

[NickfromWI]

Only half the tree is bug riddled. Do you mean to cut down half the tree?


love
nick

 

[Jomo]

Go ahead Nick buddy, put it on life support, give it intravenous injections, string rubber bands in it, milk it bro, you'll be famous!

Jomo

 

[Merle Nelson]

Gotta love working in areas where clients care more about keeping a tree going, if possible, than money.

Beyond stability now, and in next few years, isn't there a high percentage chance of dead roots soon and rotting later, on that one side?

 

[NickfromWI]

Go ahead Nick buddy, put it on life support, give it intravenous injections, string rubber bands in it, milk it bro, you'll be famous!

Jomo

You can't just answer the question, can you? Since I started the thread, can I block people from that thread?

This was more a matter of discussion about trees. Thread isn't titled "What would Jomo do with this tree"

Does cutting the left side imbalance the right side. If so, how?

And if I do work with them to retain the tree, why is it milking? I can charge $1,000 now to prune out the dead and inject it....or $2,000 now to remove it. They're probably gonna sell the house in a few years (it's the LA way) so why NOT save a grand and keep some shade and green while they're at it?

 

[NickfromWI]

You guys are all assuming there are still roots on the left side anyways! They probably all got lopped off last time the sidewalk was redone. (which is probably why the tree is dying on that side anyways lolz)

 

[CurSedVoyce]

That's what I noticed. Those side walks look pretty new and they butchered the roots putting them in from the looks of it.
Up here, I would be willing to bet that the goofy part left standing would make it for years to come. In LA.... I doubt I would risk saving it. If it goes over.. trouble will follow. I guarantee. Some idiot will be sure to be under it should it fail.. or park ... or...

 

[Jomo]

Guess what my next strategic beetle kill removal is Nick?

Big dead stone pine over a big propane tank.

Are you an arborist or a carnival barker my friend?

Jomo

 

[flushcut]

I know who the clown is for sure.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Tress shouldn't be hanging over the street. It's not like medieval times when people could stop their carriages in time when seeing something laying in the road.
Horses could see it too.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I know who the clown is for sure.

Yup!

 

[BOTS]

well if you do decide to take it down id recommend the Murphy "secret Cut"...just thinking out loud here

 

[MasterBlaster]

Are you an arborist or a carnival barker my friend?

Why do you strive so hard to come off as an asshole? What is the point?

 

[sotc]

If it stinks....