Hey guys - more questions on my pecan tree - we have a debate going on over here. The tree used to have three main trunks (yep, someone really took time to prune it years and years ago!) and one got cut off - neighbor says it got struck by lightning. The remaining two trunks are on one side, and leaning toward the little house.
I really like the placement of the tree from a garden standpoint (condusive to a patio, and it shelters the house from late morning/early afternoon sun - and it looks pretty out the window), and my grandma had a pecan tree so the shape of a pecan tree's leaves evoke a lot of memories for me.
So: can we be DRASTIC and cut it to about 10' high (it's about 35-40' now) and be careful of how we prune it so it eventually counterbalances itself, or will this shock the tree to death? DH is in favor of just cutting it down - but I am willing to try anyway.
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Here;s a shot of the leaning pecan (please excuse the redneck looking mess... we are remodeling!)
[img]https://server2.uploadit.org/files/greyghost-leaningpecan.jpg[/img]
and a higher shot:
[img]https://server3.uploadit.org/files/greyghost-pecantree.jpg[/img]
I was thinking of lopping it just above the lowest larger branches (about 5 feet above the roofline). So still some shade, just nothing more for the wind to mess with.
[img]https://server2.uploadit.org/files/greyghost-leaningpecan.jpg[/img]
and a higher shot:
[img]https://server3.uploadit.org/files/greyghost-pecantree.jpg[/img]
I was thinking of lopping it just above the lowest larger branches (about 5 feet above the roofline). So still some shade, just nothing more for the wind to mess with.
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Ummm...yeaah...starting to lean myself...towards DH's point of view...
Try to look at it as a opening, erasing the slate for a new garden, every cloud has a siver...yeah, that stinks...
Just too big at that point of the trunk in my mind. A decade at least until you got anything like a decent tree, and that only with a lot of planning aand execution...I think the execution needs to be the tree threatening the house
You could get another opinion...
Try to look at it as a opening, erasing the slate for a new garden, every cloud has a siver...yeah, that stinks...
Just too big at that point of the trunk in my mind. A decade at least until you got anything like a decent tree, and that only with a lot of planning aand execution...I think the execution needs to be the tree threatening the house
You could get another opinion...
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No, actually is an excellent carving wood, but roses do need to be pretty old to have carvable wood. Obviously no life size pieces, right? Traditionally used for rosaries, if memory serves...
And no, I'm not jabbing Val for that vicious, slanderous attack on my good name for simply tweaking a good recipe to perfect it...
That's my lawyer's job...
HG
And no, I'm not jabbing Val for that vicious, slanderous attack on my good name for simply tweaking a good recipe to perfect it...
That's my lawyer's job...
HG
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Actually, I knew that rose wood is a nice carving wood, if you can get it old enough. It has a beautiful grain. But I'm not letting Ross near enough to cut any to carve!
Rosaries, Scott, are actually made by grinding rose petals and water into a paste, and then heating it in a cast iron pan until very thick and dark. It is then rolled into balls twice the size as needed, as they lose about 50% of their size when dried. They are stuck with pins to a cardboard until dry, so that they are pierced for stringing. They are very brittle when dried, and break if you try to pierce them later.
Roses have been used for many things throughout history, many we don't even realize!
Oh, and Scott, I'll be waiting for your lawyer's call!
Val
Rosaries, Scott, are actually made by grinding rose petals and water into a paste, and then heating it in a cast iron pan until very thick and dark. It is then rolled into balls twice the size as needed, as they lose about 50% of their size when dried. They are stuck with pins to a cardboard until dry, so that they are pierced for stringing. They are very brittle when dried, and break if you try to pierce them later.
Roses have been used for many things throughout history, many we don't even realize!
Oh, and Scott, I'll be waiting for your lawyer's call!
Val
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Some roses are shrubs - so we could stretch the title a little......
A rosary is a string of prayer beads used in counting prayers used usually by the Roman Catholics, but by other religions as well.
And yes, I have eaten rose hips - just the meaty part, not the seeds. Actually they are not bitter at all. They in fact have a bit of a sweet side to them, more on the level of a sweet potato or carrot. They are quite tasty and add a bit of color to what you cook. They also make a very rich colored jelly.
Val
A rosary is a string of prayer beads used in counting prayers used usually by the Roman Catholics, but by other religions as well.
And yes, I have eaten rose hips - just the meaty part, not the seeds. Actually they are not bitter at all. They in fact have a bit of a sweet side to them, more on the level of a sweet potato or carrot. They are quite tasty and add a bit of color to what you cook. They also make a very rich colored jelly.
Val
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OK - the tree was removed yesterday, the stump all ground... I know it needed doing but I so hate to see a living thing killed like that. I also wasn't home, and didn't know they were coming yesterday (I expected them Friday) so I lost a PeeGee hydrangea too as I hadn't dug it up yet.
ANYWAY.
I've raked and piled all the shavings from the stump into a pile over where the stump was, so it can decompose. Now, when I'm ready to start planting - how far away from that stump do I need to be with my new Japanese Maple, hydrangeas, etc so they are not affected by the loss of nitrogen the decomposing stump will create for a few years?
I'm sure I can pile some good compost on top of the stump for surface-type plants (I'm looking at periwinkle, for starters). Any other ideas for that area? It'll get good morning sun, and some early midday sun, the rest of it is filtered or complete shade for the rest of the day.
ANYWAY.
I've raked and piled all the shavings from the stump into a pile over where the stump was, so it can decompose. Now, when I'm ready to start planting - how far away from that stump do I need to be with my new Japanese Maple, hydrangeas, etc so they are not affected by the loss of nitrogen the decomposing stump will create for a few years?
I'm sure I can pile some good compost on top of the stump for surface-type plants (I'm looking at periwinkle, for starters). Any other ideas for that area? It'll get good morning sun, and some early midday sun, the rest of it is filtered or complete shade for the rest of the day.
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Thanks Scott! If I do that tho - it's going to have to be a raised bed so the dirt/manure/etc. has room to sit!
That stump grinding made a HUGE mess - after piling all the stump-parts back on top of the stump, we have a nearly 3' tall mound of chipbark sitting there! It'll decompose and mush down a lot tho - I've seen folks that put the pieces elsewhere to decompose and had to keep putting that back on top of where the stump was, because it will slowly sink in. I'm kind of considering that, a bucketful of compost every so often isn't so bad a chore, as long as I'm no bothering whatever I tried to plant there too much.
I hope to meet with Susan (my local-ish garden center owner) about it later today. We didn't get a chance to talk much after the Chamber meeting Wednesday, soo...
That stump grinding made a HUGE mess - after piling all the stump-parts back on top of the stump, we have a nearly 3' tall mound of chipbark sitting there! It'll decompose and mush down a lot tho - I've seen folks that put the pieces elsewhere to decompose and had to keep putting that back on top of where the stump was, because it will slowly sink in. I'm kind of considering that, a bucketful of compost every so often isn't so bad a chore, as long as I'm no bothering whatever I tried to plant there too much.
I hope to meet with Susan (my local-ish garden center owner) about it later today. We didn't get a chance to talk much after the Chamber meeting Wednesday, soo...
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Might have to hack a few roots out of the way but it makes sense to me to get established what you want, rather than waiting years for all the soil to settle. Perhaps something that like wet feet more in cassse there is settling, like a serviceberry? (early flower, bird friendly berry, and killer fall color...)
Scott
Scott