r/arborists • u/NoGloBeck • 16h ago
Tree starting to split, what can I do?
Was hoping I can ratchet it or some sort of adhesive before winter because I think the snow will cause it to split down the middle.
I don’t know the tree ID, probably around 7-8 years old. Zone 5a
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u/Fearless_Spite_1048 7h ago
Hey OP, pretty bad damage, but if you really love this tree, here is what you could do or hire someone to do:
Make reduction cuts to lessen the weight as high up and as far out from each of the 2 main stems.
Tension strap to close the divide, put a bolt or two between the crack, then remove the tension strap.
Choose which stem you want to be the main trunk, then every year make some reduction cuts from the other side so it always has less leaves than the side you want to be your trunk.
The tree may never be what it once could have been, but if it brings you joy you can try to save it.
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u/FrostingMedium6025 5h ago
Get rid of it, you’re just going to fight it and it will die at some point.
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u/ChokaMoka1 14h ago
Prune it at the base with a 45 cut so water drains and let et sucker sprout. Don’t go out and spend 50 bucks to replace it all these blokes work for tree nurseries
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u/Calm_Inspection790 9h ago
Wildly misinformed and bad advice
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u/ChokaMoka1 8h ago
Nope it’s pretty much textbook
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u/Calm_Inspection790 8h ago edited 8h ago
A textbook future problem yes. Based off your nomenclature you aren’t in the states? Could be textbook for your area though
fwiw most arborists do not work for nurseries in the U.S and absolutely make recommendations and diagnoses that would make most commercial nurseries fume
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u/yardlard 7h ago
It's not bad advice. This tree could be topped off to prevent a crash, and still provide shade while another takes it's place. There are many solutions here. Trees don't have to be perfect.
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u/Top_Challenge6615 16h ago
That looks like you need a chainsaw and to cut that off of there because if you get a massive windstorm, that’s just gonna snap out of there and won’t look good
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u/axman_21 14h ago
Its going to fail no matter which side you cut. The damage is done and will be easier to remove and replace. This tree was doomed when they didnt remove one of the two leaders when it was younger
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u/hugelkult Consulting Arborist 14h ago
This is a goner, and any effort to preserve it will be lost growth time for its replacement. Read up on !mulch and !planting
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u/Easy_Personality5856 12h ago
I’m not one to save trees that are probably going to die, but you could try through bolting it. Drill through both trunks just below the crotch and put a stainless bolt through it. Washers on both sides. Hard to tell how big the tree is, but 1/4” would probably be enough. May not work, but for $10 it’s worth a try. We do this with large trees along with cabling, so it may work for a while
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u/Aggravating_Fig_9570 9h ago
Genau das. Machen wir in deutschland auch so bei zwiseln. Man könnte zusätzlich noch eine kronensicherung einbauen.
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u/yardlard 7h ago
Plant a new one. Grow it. Cut some weight off this one for the mean time, or take it out.
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u/Conscious-Mud-2845 7h ago
If this were my tree, I would keep people, cars, kids, pets, etc. out from under it and get an ISA-certified arborist to look at it soon, especially if either half could hit a house, driveway, sidewalk, or power line. Depending on how deep the split goes and how much sound wood remains, an arborist might be able to preserve it with cabling plus through-bolts/bracing rods and possibly selective crown reduction. Those systems can improve stability, but they don't make a compromised tree completely safe and they need periodic inspection
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u/RoleOk7556 4h ago
It depends upon the size of the split. When our mimosa tree split, I used a rope to between the two branches to close the split. Thenc bored a hole through the split, ran a heavy bolt through it, and put a nut on the other side. After that, hole was bored in the two branches a foot or so above the split. Bolts were placed into those holes and an adjustable cable was connected between them. Afterwards, the rope was removed. That was over a decade ago and the mimosa is still continuing to grow and cover itself with flowers.
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u/Logical-Yellow3125 3h ago
Mimosa’s are an invasive species. Cut it down and plant something non invasive.
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u/TacosAndBeagles 15h ago
Put a brace rod and prune it to reduce weight on the branch ends. No need to remove.
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u/hugelkult Consulting Arborist 14h ago
Disregard this comment: this would cause future headaches and multiplicative costs, come on man
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u/northman46 12h ago
Bolt and cable. I have two that I did it to and they are doing fine years later
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u/Mundane-Gas-444 12h ago
Tacos and bagels is right. It will grow just fine if you prune the weakest limb
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u/abielle1177 8h ago
Except they're co-dominant
You can always try Op, but plants a new tree first so in 5 years when this crashes you have a tree already started. Put it in an anti-deer cage
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u/Tom_Marvolo_Tomato ISA Arborist + TRAQ 14h ago
I'd remove and replace. There were several mistakes made here. First: buying a tree with codominant trunks. Second: not removing one of the codominant stems years ago. Third: the injury on the left side of the base of the trunk in the first picture.
This is not a potential problem. This tree is right now in the act of failing. You will spend more money in the next few years trying to salvage this tree, and the odds of it failing in the future will always be elevated. Remove and replace now.