Greetings to Everyone from a new member...

9 comments

Hi, I’ve just joined this website and am eager to get to know everyone.

These very strong winds we’ve had this week are threatening to damage my beautiful and until now healthy mimosa tree (haven’t been able to identify the exact type as yet.)
It is growing in a corner of the garden very happily apparently, next to a very tall lime tree >50ft, which I had hoped would protect it during the winter months.
Over the last two days, the trunk seems to be now leaning quite clearly over to one side, although the ground beneath seems undisturbed.
The trunk is about 12ft high and then divides out into three 12ft long branches, which I had planned to prune back hard next springtime.
So I am now faced with a tricky situation…should I attempt to support the tree by staking or should I lop these fully-leaved top branches now in order to minimise wind damage to the rest of the tree?

I would be very glad to hear of anyone else’s experiences. with this.

In the meantime I have supported the first 12ft with a strongly secured heavy plank weighted at the base with a flagstone, leaning against the direction of pull.

18 Nov, 2009
3 likes

Comments

Bamboo

Welcome to GoY, Saavikam. If its really a mimosa, I wouldn't cut it now - do anything you can to support it and get it through the winter, preferably in an upright position, and then sort it out properly in Spring. If you have to cut something off to balance it up (sometimes reducing the weight one side means its easier to get it upright again), its a risk, but take as little as possible. Good luck with it.

18 Nov, 2009

Mad

Welcome Saakivam. I can't add anything to Bamboo's advice, and you seem to be so aware yourself that I can only hope for the best outcome for you and your tree.

18 Nov, 2009

Heron

I hope you've not left it too late as the forecast is bad for tomorrow. I suppose propping it up will help but in the long run it needs to strengthen up itself. To achieve this I would prune it as much as you dare. Most trees would be fine if it were done now, not sure about Mimosa though.

18 Nov, 2009