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Holm oak leaning over

Estella21Estella21 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
I have a holm oak tree that is about 6 years old that I have suddenly noticed is leaning over sideways quite badly. The leaves seem fine, so I don't think it is dying, but when I try pushing the trunk, it feels loose at the base, as if the roots are rotting or have become loose somehow. I'm wondering if it can be saved, and if it needs supporting somehow. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 
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Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    If the roots are rotting I recommend you get rid of it quickly. It is not in any way a suitable tree for a garden.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    I had one here that got blown over in a storm and the leaves looked healthy for over a year but then suddenly they went brown and the tree died. I have read that areas of a tree trunk in contact with soil instead of air can become unhealthy and lead to problems with the tree so if you want to save your tree I think you need to return it to the position it was when it was vertical and not leaning over. It might need the support of a stake or two to help with this. They do grow into a large tree if looked after so I'm assuming you have space to let it grow to its normal full grown size.

    Happy gardening!
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Which could be 20 metres! As I said, not a tree for your average sized garden.  Half a huge one in our locality was blown over in Storm Arwen? right across a road which was the only access to dozens of houses. It was an absolute miracle that nobody was killed. It was a major operation to cut it up and re-open the road. The remaining half (which was embedded on the side of a stream) was then cut down involving a team of three/four men on ropes and chainsaws, took them 3 days.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    How big is your garden Estella and how near to the house is your oak?
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The eventual size of a tree isn't necessarily a problem, as long as the tree is healthy.
    We're surrounded by trees here - many of which are in gardens or backing onto them, because it was originally woodland, some of which is still here. Pines of 70 and 80 feet, mature oaks and beeches [hence many of the road names] ash etc.
    It may just need proper staking, and may not have been correctly planted and firmed in.

    Have you a photo of the tree @Estella21? That will help with further advice  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    When that happens here voles are to blame, I've had 2 year old apple trees pull right out of the ground with almost no roots left.
    I would say that I have had no real success with staking a tree that has started to fall over, I've kept some alive for years that way, but they have never become self supporting again.
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    Depending on the size of the garden I think the size of the tree could be a huge problem in time. Roots and shade are 2 reasons for not planting. Lizzie27 has given a good example. 
    I thought I knew a lot about trees but storm Arwen opened my eyes to what 2 hours of strong wind can do even in sheltered positions, in the middle of woodland, for instance, it can bring down 100ft larches. Only on Friday, in a village just outside Carlisle graveyard, I saw a 100 year old oak blown over during the storm and the damage caused was unbelievable.

    Estella's tiny oak's size isn't a problem now but, depending on where it's planted, in a few years it could cause the house owners much grief.  
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Definitely need a photo though, and some more info.  :)
    What we might think of as an unsalvageable, or unsuitable, tree, may not be that bad - and vice versa. Estella could have a huge garden in the middle of nowhere, for example.

    It certainly doesn't sound great, but at the moment we're assuming quite a lot. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    Yes I agree FairyGirl and that's why I asked how big her garden is and how near to the house the oak is. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Absolutely @Uff :)
    I've had all sizes of garden, and large trees could have been [and have been] grown in most of them, and not just the biggest ones. More info required from the OP.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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