Leaning Tree of Holly

[TeeDee]

I have an ornamental Holly that has been allowed to fill out and reach for the light over several decades - as such its a good 6-8" or more and leaning at 45° , unfortunately straight over a path in along the length.

I'm kinda loathed and resistant to cut it down - but equally its a pain and I keep knocking my noggin on it.

So , reaching out to the Tree people here - would it be possible to realign the tree to vertical?

If I created a robust timber frame arch underneath it and I know if i push against its fall I can generate a good 6-12 " of movement back to 90°

I was wondering if I did this each year or every 6 months by increasing the height of my timber frame underneath and pushing against it if over the time I could teach it to return to near vertical ??

Abit like Bonsai training but on a larger scale.


Thoughts?

 

[TeeDee]

There is also a hoofing big Ash directly behind it so I could I guess set up a pully and block and set that up to be tugged back incrementally??

 

[Pattree]

I have brought a crab apple back up straight by doing exactly that. I bashed a big pole in behind it and used a webbing strap to pull it upright over a period of two years.
It has thrived and now grows vertically producing many jars of jelly.

With holly, if the leader ends up pointing sideways then take out the whole leader and select the most dominant vertical side branch. Encourage it by removing only branches that seem to be seriously competing, right from the trunk.
I guess what I’m saying is “prune, don’t snip.” It’s OK anytime now till the sap starts moving again in spring.
Definitely don’t cut branches when the older leaves are turning yellow and falling in June.

 

[William_Montgomery]

There is also a hoofing big Ash directly behind it so I could I guess set up a pully and block and set that up to be tugged back incrementally??

Did something similar with a bay and it worked just fine. Revisited it every so often and tightened it up. After a year or two it was upright.

 

[Snake]

I have taken to doing this with quite a few of my apple trees, I put a winch around a large anchor tree and winch the leaning tree to it, when I hear thing start to groan I think that is enough for that time, I then secure it in that position with an inch cam strap and let the winch off, I then have another go the following year when all the roots have relaxed.

 

[Broch]

Holly coppices very well, so you could just cut it down and then train any new growth how you want it.

 

[Toddy]

I'm with @Broch on this. Once it's established holly is a pain in the neck, well hands, to remove. It just keeps coming up.
It'll come up in thin withies at first, and those you can tie in to a stake. That'll form a straight stem that will thicken up over time, and the branches will shoot out from it, stretching towards the best light. Mine grows six feet in a couple of years after being cut right down.

I find holly to be a messy kind of shrub, tbh.
I like it fine, but the birds eat the berries, and before you know it, it's infested the hedge I now have four hollies and I keep cutting them back. It makes pretty wreaths

 

[TeeDee]

Holly coppices very well, so you could just cut it down and then train any new growth how you want it.

I'm with @Broch on this. Once it's established holly is a pain in the neck, well hands, to remove. It just keeps coming up.
It'll come up in thin withies at first, and those you can tie in to a stake. That'll form a straight stem that will thicken up over time, and the branches will shoot out from it, stretching towards the best light. Mine grows six feet in a couple of years after being cut right down.

I find holly to be a messy kind of shrub, tbh.
I like it fine, but the birds eat the berries, and before you know it, it's infested the hedge I now have four hollies and I keep cutting them back. It makes pretty wreaths

I get what you are saying , that its quick growing to being lopped and will start again without the hassle but it would seem a last ditch option unless I can save it in some way. It would as you say quickly find its feet once more and fill out , but I feel kinda duty bound to see if I can save it first.

Even if a folly of a thing to try

 

[Nice65]

I see a lot of Holly teees in ancient woodland that have been wind blown for decades. All are well alive and are now copses from the same tree, the main stem horizontal supporting side branches that have become trees.

Haul it upright in one go. What roots break will soon be replaced. If you’re worried about loss of roots, then reduce some of the tree so the remaining roots can easily supply a smaller crown.

It’s likely it’ll need a prop to hold it for many years, it’s always going to be prone to coming back over across the path again.

 

[TeeDee]

I see a lot of Holly teees in ancient woodland that have been wind blown for decades. All are well alive and are now copses from the same tree, the main stem horizontal supporting side branches that have become trees.

Haul it upright in one go. What roots break will soon be replaced. If you’re worried about loss of roots, then reduce some of the tree so the remaining roots can easily supply a smaller crown.

It’s likely it’ll need a prop to hold it for many years, it’s always going to be prone to coming back over across the path again.

If I go this route - hoik it up in one go - do you think now is the best time of year to try it or wait for it to cool down more. ?

 

[Toddy]

Mine grows all year long; if there's light, it'll grow., it doesn't bother much beyond that. It does need water though.

I think @Nice65 has the right of it about forcing it up straight again, but I think you'll need to prop it pretty much forever afterwards.

The alternative would be to lay that stem down hard on the ground and it'll side shoot up a line of wee trees Makes a tidy hedge in a hurry, but a right royal pain in the situpon to prune. You'd get a more stable root line doing that though ...maybe ?

 

[Nice65]

If I go this route - hoik it up in one go - do you think now is the best time of year to try it or wait for it to cool down more. ?

It’s not going to make that much difference. Maybe worth letting the tree get a bit of water inside it due to everything being drought stressed.

 

[demographic]

A place I was working at a few years ago cut a holly tree down, it was starting with green shoots again but as the stump was about 500mm (20" for those who still measure in the Liberian masurements) in diameter.
To my eyes cutting that tree down was far more of a crime than that damn Sycamore on the section of the Roman wall.

Holly is a nice wood mind, close grained, very light coloured if its dried well. Seal the ends and don't leave it on the deck or it'll dry kind of greyish.

 

[TeeDee]

Job jobbed.

 

[Falstaff]

Curious , Would it be possible to cut a wedge out, like hedge laying, and bend it upright ? - with a restriant strap for a time?