[Homestead] Odd tree problem

EarthNSky erthnsky at bellsouth.net
Mon Jun 9 22:40:22 EDT 2008


We have a 100 ft+ sweetgum tree standing in between the barn and the 
workshop.  This tree is stout-it survived a direct hit from a tornado in 
2002 and lost a few foot in diameter limbs.  It hasn't lost any limbs 
since.
Yesterday, we came home from work and found a huge 8" diameter limb on 
the fence/ground.  It came very close to hitting our dog.  It appeared 
to have split off..no disease that I could see..no lightning scar, etc. 
  I have no idea of why it fell.
Today, we come home from work and another, even larger limb has downed 
the power lines to the barn.  It too, was split, and it split suddenly. 
  It took out another branch the size of my leg on the way down.
These limbs were near the top of the tree.  They were not diseased or 
rotten-in fact they were loaded with sweetgum balls.  If branch #1 was 
at the 12 o'clock position, branch #2 was at 4-5 o'clock.
Is it possible that increased sap from good rainfall created extra 
weight (along with all those balls)in the branch and caused it to split 
off?  We haven't had any lightning strikes nearby.
Any ideas on the freak limb fall?
I'd love to take this tree down as it will KO my garden or the 
workshop/greenhouse, but sweetgum is sucky firewood and it is the main 
tree in that area.  In my experience, once you take out a tree, you 
create a domino effect of treefall from the loss of the first windbreak 
tree.  Any ideas on the use of the wood?  The tree is about 3 feet in 
diameter.

Bev

-- 
BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm   NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N	85.076W	   Bev is Earth, Ron is Sky					


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