Co-dominant stems on Chinese pistache

[Woodwork]

Hey, guys,

I have a Chinese pistachio tree 8" DBH (pics attached) with co-dom leaders (been that way since I got it from nursery, they cut me a deal). Is there anything I can do with this (cut one stem, or join stems with steel or cable or ?) to maybe save the tree in a bad storm? I pretty much resigned myself to it having two stems since I got it, but the bigger it gets, the more I think, "When a storm takes that out, it's gonna wreck the tree." (On Virginia coast, where we get some wind sometimes.)

Would you do anything with this, or just not plan on the tree having a long life? I considered drilling a hole through the center of both stems and putting a 1/4" steel round bar through both stems and welding a rounded "T" bar across each end of the bar (outboard of the tree)...but wonder whether that would just cripple its already probably short life.

Sorry for the pic madness, couldn't figure out how to post attachments right.

Thanks,

Jeff

(Don't even ask about the Thuja the farmer apparently sprayed. Bad subject.)

 

[cerviarborist]

You can probably begin suppressing whichever of the two leaders you like best. Investing in Gilman's book on pruning will give you a blueprint for it. Once you suppress the one leader properly, it's growth will slow greatly and the remaining leaders growth will increase... over time, you'll get a better aspect ration between the two of them, which will promote better attachment. What you can achieve will likely be dictated by how long you intend to own the tree.

 

[Woodwork]

Thanks, Cerviarborist. Wish I knew that five or eight years ago, as I would have been suppressing one of the leaders ever since I got it. The nursery guy suggested I was stuck with two leaders, and that was that.

The two leaders are oriented roughly N-S (north on left in photos). Any reason to favor either one? Worst wind usually NE, but the house shields it from that direction mostly.

 

[cerviarborist]

I'd just go with whichever one seems to have the better architecture. Now there's a bit to suppression pruning.. I wouldn't pick up a saw until after doing some serious research and or reading the Gilman book. The main crux is that you want the suppressed leader to wind up in the shade of the other one. That's what makes the growth rate of the suppressed leader slow down, and the other one to accelerate,

 

[Woodwork]

Thanks, will do. Was just looking at it and thinking the southern leader is the one I prefer, so that's good. And I can see ways to slowly reduce the northern one over a few years...was thinking about a 15-20% reduction of the mast per year on the northern one, depending on how it goes... But I'll do some research on suppression pruning. Appreciate your help.