Repairing broken tree limb ...

All, I have a small, white pine tree in my yard about 10' high. Back in early spring, while it was still cold, my son climbed into the tree to retrieve a toy lodged at the top, and in doing so, broke off the whole top section (about 2'). Snapped right through the top of the "trunk" so cleanly that it looks like it was nearly cut off. The break is right above a small set of limbs, and I was advised to bend-and-secure one of the limbs into an upright position, so it will take on as a "leader".

Does this sound right? I am completely ignorant as to the best way to fix this, and your suggestions are welcome.

Thank you greatly, Chris

Reply to
M100C
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you can try but often it fails, the fact its a realtively small young tree helps a lot

Reply to
hallerb

The only suggestion that I can offer is to call a nursery and inquire. If the tree isn't all that old you may want to consider replacing it with one of similar size.

Reply to
C & E

I had a pine tree whose top broke off because of the snow. I saw the snow and said to myself, You should go brush it off, but it was hard to reach and I didn't. So it broke.

I didn't do anything, and the tree stayed about the same for maybe two years. The third year, a branch from the side near what was now the top started growing almost vertically. The whole tree grew as normal for another 10+ years. I should have said that the whole tree was at an angle for some reason, and had been since before I saw the house. So the new part of the tree was growing somewhat sideways and eventually almost reached my house. This year there didn't seem to be that much snow on it, but the sideways weight caused about 15 feet to break off. So all that's left now is the original 10 feet. It's worse than that because the limbs at 3, and 4 feet and somewhat higher had died off because they were the lower limbs of a tall pine tree. The only really big limb is merged with some cedar bushes next to the tree. So the tree doesn't look so great right now, but I'm figuring in 2 or 3 years it will start to grow again.

I had been afraid its roots was going to lift up my sidewalk, and now I'm debating if the roots will grow more slowly now since the tree is much smaller, of they will grow faster because maybe the new trunk needs extra energy to burst out of the old one. I don't really understand trees or women.

We had a tulip tree in Indianapolis that had broken off before we bought the house. The stub was about 6 feet tall, with the broken area going from 6 feet down to about 4 feet. No branches or leaves iirc. About 4 inches in diameter. The other 3 tulip trees were much bigger and taller with a lot of branches, etc. Some people would have taken it out, sooner or later, but my mother didn't know how, didn't have the strength, and didn't have anywhere near the money to take out a tree that wasn't bothering anyone. Or maybe she just had hopes. The tree sat there doing nothing for 3 or 4 years, then started growing again, and seemed to grow awfully fast. It was at least 15 feet tall when we moved, and doing fine.

Bending that limb might pick which limb grows upwards, but I have a feeling the tree will pick one if you don't. Probably the top one.

Reply to
mm

Works very well on oaks. I have one 15' that the trunk is now a combination of 3 previous limbs, but you'd never know it. (tree had a rough life!) Pine is much more brittle so I don't know if will work with them or not, but it's certainly worth a try.

-Red

Reply to
Red

that limb was broken as Artie boy fell from the ugly tree and boy did he hit every branch on his way down......................

Reply to
3G

Its GOOD he hit all those branches coming down, they slowed his descent preventing serious injury.....

Reply to
hallerb

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