No more pecan pies

rouxroux · 06-27-2007, 06:01 PM

We had a very severe storm here yesterday. There was a flash of lightning and an instant clap of thunder along with 60-70MPH winds. I went out to find our 100' papershell tree split almost in half. It fell in the ONLY place to not do damage (it could have taken out 2 fences or fallen on one of the garages (that house our Corvairs and Porsches). I've got some arborists coming out tomorrow to survey the damage. Do you think there is anyway to salvage the "other half" of the tree? I'm pretty bummed, as it was a beautiful tree.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Try paint it. There is some stuff that will seal that up, but I would imagine it all comes down, better you take it down on the lawn rather than it falls on a house or something. Probably burned it pretty good, know a guy who survived a lightning strike, so who knows. Looks like it fell the best direction possible, so that is something

Joeaksa · 06-27-2007, 09:31 PM

Agree with Tobra. Hopefully you can seal the other half of the tree and keep it alive and healthy. Key is getting someone out there soon to take care of it.

slodave · slodave's Garage

Neosporin. Should help prevent infections and will reduce scarring

Jeff Alton · 06-27-2007, 10:02 PM

How many dogs do you have?

Luckily it did not fall on a structure, way that with the advice given by the aborist when he comes......

Cheers

rouxroux · 06-28-2007, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Alton
How many dogs do you have?

Luckily it did not fall on a structure, way that with the advice given by the aborist when he comes......

Cheers

Jeff, right now we only have the three you see there (2 Cockers & one Cavalier)...The red & white on the far side of the pool is staring at her nemesis, the pool cleaner. She'll stalk it and when the tail breaks the suface she'll grab it and pull the entire thing out of the pool (the pool supply shop loves her: job security) She strips off the foam end, but has perforated the tail many, many times as well.

I'm waiting on the arborists, I'd love to save the tree but I'm worried if a good wind might do the other 1/2 in and take out the fence. I guess we'll see what they suggest.

rouxroux · 06-28-2007, 07:56 PM

***UPDATE***Well the tree can't be saved, looks like the cutting will be soon.

Anyone want some pecan firewood or chips? Free, U-Haul it.

chuckr · 06-29-2007, 07:20 AM

Craig,
Man, oh, Man !
That had to be scarry !
Glad no major damage. That was a beautiful pecan tree.
If you need any pecans... I think there is a pecan tree or two around
here.

Chuck

bigchillcar · bigchillcar's Garage

the arborists said painting wouldn't work?

NICKG · 06-29-2007, 09:28 AM

we had a tree fall (struck by lightning) last night...yanked out all our service wires...which promptly fell on my boxster (doesn't look bad, but did not really look ) the tree got struck 15 feet off the ground, it was about 140 feet tall (sugar maple). fell between my house and the neighbors(very lucky, this space is like 10-15 feet) across the road.

it ripped the electric off my house and pulled on the box in the basement , the electrician said it all has to be replaced...it is kinda a mixed blessing, i was gonna upgrade to 200 amp sooner or later anyway.

this house is killing me....

rouxroux · 06-29-2007, 09:56 AM

The wind load to the remaining 1/2 has resulted in additional splitting, leaving just 1/2 at the base. The "remaining 1/2 is "listing" pretty badly now and threatens to take out the fence. I hate to see it go. Chuck, before this tree I always bought my pecans over in Monroe. Looks like I will again in the future.

mattdavis11 · 06-29-2007, 01:37 PM

Man that tree would have done some serious damage. Lucky you. Suchs to be you at the same time. Pecan pies rock, especially when the pecans are from your own yard. I never had one in my yard though, but I do have several friends in San Saba Texas!! Pecan capitol of the world. Needless to say, my pie is ok.

MRM · 06-29-2007, 06:48 PM

Don't be so quick to cut down the tree. It wouldn't be the first time a professional announced the premature death of a fine tree. Look at it this way: if you paint it with pruning tar and wait a year, what's the worst that can happen? The tree will slowly die, dry out as it is standing, and need to be taken down next year when it will make better fireword. I'm not pro, and I'm judging from your photo, but I grew up around a lot of trees and saw many come back from worse wounds. I'd just hate to see a nice tree like that get cut without at least giving it a chance to come back. Water it and seal the scar. See what happens.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Dude, you can sell that pecan wood for fair amount of cash to someone who likes to BBQ.

Shuie · 06-29-2007, 07:41 PM

How good of a tone wood is pecan tree wood? How old is that tree?

trekkor · 06-29-2007, 08:19 PM

I don't know why, but everytime I see the title of this thread, I think it says "pelican pies".

KT

9dreizig · 06-29-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by trekkor
I don't know why, but everytime I see the title of this thread, I think it says "pelican pies".

KT

That would be the Grid Girls wouldn't it ??

tabs · 06-30-2007, 08:18 AM

The picture doesn't show the complete scar on the tree. I would imagine the amount of circumfrence left would be the determination if the tree should come down or not. Will the remaining trunk be able to support the rest of the trees weight?

notfarnow · 06-30-2007, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rouxroux
The wind load to the remaining 1/2 has resulted in additional splitting, leaving just 1/2 at the base. The "remaining 1/2 is "listing" pretty badly now and threatens to take out the fence. I hate to see it go. Chuck, before this tree I always bought my pecans over in Monroe. Looks like I will again in the future.

There are several ~80 yr old apple trees up at a neighboring cottage. One of them split right down the middle, much as you described, during a big storm in 1976. The reamaining tree was leaning over and was going to break off under its own weight.They didn't want to cut it down, and they had nothing to lose by trying to save it.

This is what they did: Set a concrete sauna tube down 4', with a bracket at the top. A 3" steel tube with a rounded pad reaches over to the tree and supports it. The "arm" can swing up and down, and has enough movement that it can be repositioned each year if there has been movement.

It's been there for 31 years and the tree is otherwise healthy. If you took the arm off, a strong wind would blow it down for sure.

I don't have a picture, but here is an MS Paint Artist's Rendition. (Note that the sun is smiling at the beautiful tree, and the tree is producing healthy, red apples.)

Just something to consider if you really want to save that tree.