Street tree bending over
My wife and I live in Philadelphia and have a phs provided street tree (syringa). We've had it for a little over a year and it is starting to bend over as it seems to be a bit too top heavy. Is there anything we should do to redirect or guide it back to its upright position? Prune certain branches? This has only happened within the last few days but with today's rain and wind it's begun to bend over more and more. Any advice is appreciated!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Answer
Nick, it would be a good idea to prune back the top by maybe as much as 1/4 of the top growth. Then run a pole up the side of it to support it. But after a year or two you will need to remove the pole so it can grow on its own. Keep an eye on the tape you have put around the pole and tree so doesn't strangle the tree. It also may be in too much shade or fed too much nitrogen for excessive top growth. But all this rain this spring has caused lots of growth. This also is a problem in the summer if we have a drought or really dry spell and the tree has a lot of new growth that it has to support.