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  • From: EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: Homestead List <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Homestead] Odd tree problem
  • Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:40:22 -0400

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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