My neighbors Bradford Pears and a windy location

[southsoundtree]

Every year my neighbors' trees suffer from our windy location. They were given a super cheap deal on about 20 BPs which were planted 10 years ago.

This year they have asked me to 'top' them so they bush out, upon recommendation from a gardener. Typical of their species, there are major inclusions that split out in the wind.

I explained that gardening shows like to recommend them, but by their nature, they are problematic. Early structural pruning is important for all trees, especially BPs. This didn't happen.


I'm looking for advice on pruning them this winter, never having dealt with BPs.


They have a row of about 20 down one side of their driveway. Some will need to be removed, I'm supposing, from massive splitting. Sort of the problem of a formal row. These can be replaced with some other trees (suggestions taken, high wind, full sun, wet and coastally mild winter usually, dry summer, some snow load during some years). They plan to sell in 6-8 years.

Maybe its better to start fresh by removal, grind, and replace, instead of throwing money at pruning, especially since they planned on planting both sides of the long driveway (1/10 mile), but didn't get to it. They have the dollars to make it look good. I'm trying to figure out what is a really good plan for them, both as my neighbors, and as he has built a huge real estate business in town (doing a really good job is really to my advantage).

I was thinking crown thinning and subordination of weaker leaders. Again, haven't dealt with BPs, so I'm looking for experienced opinions.

Also, I am concerned about diseases that might cause problems that will ruin the single species of trees that frame their driveway (on one side only).

Soon, I'll try to get some pictures of the scenario for better advice.

 

[MattyD]

Bradford pears get a really bad rap around here. We have about the same weather conditions you've described. Yes Bp's have everything you mentioned if not takin care of when young (tight V's, multiple leads,etc.) but I don't see why they can't last aslong as any other tree.

We've been through many of topped Bp's and not topped Bp's crown reducing(subordination of weak leaders),crown thinning, and have had GREAT results!

Personally, I don't favor Bp's but I think I just grew into not liking them. They really are beautiful when flowering. Just because they are fast growing trees that don't get the attention they need, doesn't always mean we should cut them down and replace with a species "better".

It's a good question SST

 

[guymayor]

cabling and bracing very cost effective

 

[southsoundtree]

Is C & B doing the best service to the customer? I know tha it would be good for me to sell pruning/ C & B. Does this work in the landscape plan, or should I say work with their lack of plan and follow through. Perhaps. Perhaps not. I think that they would like to have something that accents their long driveway entrance to their property (they are the fanciest on our private road, we are the least fancy on the road, but have the biggest trees, but I digress). Resale value is an important factor, and curb appeal, especially to a realtor.

Is 10 years of growth worth long-term high maintenance rather than putting in trees that will do better in the location?

Perhaps I should put it like this: Customer with (20) 10-year old BPs on one side of driveway, 15' tall, with no early structural pruning, which they think looks funny/ lopsided, would like to have an tree lined driveway for themselves, and the future homeowners, on a property that backs up to mature forest and wetland. They have the dollars to do whatever. Is it worth worrying about the BP's, or is it better to start with new trees and early structural pruning?

There will definitely be trees replaced, so it is not an issue of "if" the removed trees are replaced, but "by what?"

Nothing to be damaged by failing trees but the trees themselves and a sturdy fence (rail road tie vertical posts and 2x6 horizontal boards).

What about disease that could wipe out a monoculture? Are they very susceptible to different things? I saw that fire blight is a problem in some areas.

 

[treewill]

I've (unfortunately) worked on quite a few bradford pears in the portland area. Hard to advise on yours without seeing photos, but I've certainly had situations where I went pretty heavy on reducing leaders I didn't like, or in some situations all the leaders. They will sucker up, but they sucker up if you don't prune them also.

I've actually been surprised by how good some of them have looked 1-2 years later after major pruning where 25% or more of the foliage was taken. Making really good quality cuts to appropriate laterals is crucial to not creating a suckery monster.

If it's super important to your neighbors (and it sounds like it is) I'd get in there now, be aggressive, and come back every year or two. If they grow as fast up in olympia as they do here, 6-8 years ought to be plenty of time to have them looking good.

 

[southsoundtree]

Thanks everybody for the advise given. I'll get pictures today and post them.

I'd like ideas in addition to tree health/ pruning regarding the arrangement/ design. As you will see in some of the pictures, the trees line the driveway as regular spacing.

Some have been removed/ will need to be removed due to storm damage (unless I train them back from 20% of the original crown. How are they with CODIT?). The formal spacing is messed up, and only on the one side. I will have to see what it the actual spacing, and where the damaged/ removed trees stand in the line. If the winds were convenient, the broke trees in a way that I could remove a couple strategically located ones, and replace them, retaining the regularity of the spacing.

 

[familytree]

I always find it humorous that people line their driveways, typically the only way in and out of the house, with structurally And genetically weak species. Nothing better than a call in the early morning because the homeowner can't make It to work because of a downed Bradford.

Bradfords are a beautiful tree when in bloom, and for those two weeks I appreciate them. For the other 50 weeks out of the year I loath these trees. These are the worst estimates to do. The trees that I'm asked to top the most, "lollipop" shape. They defy all tree logic. After describing why not to top a tree and it's adverse effects on it's health and structure, there's always a person the customer knows that did it and it looks great. Hate these trees.

My suggestion. If money isn't a problem, prune and cable and brace. I always offer this is an option to my customers. I don't want my hatred for these trees to influence what the customer ultimately wants. I let the price of proper pruning and cabling do that.

 

[Blinky]

They look good in fall too.

 

[Crazy_Jimmy]

i love bradford pears,there job security.

 

[southsoundtree]

I just tied one together where there is an active crack between 2 equal halves, and this is summer, the lower wind season.

There are 30 trees on 20' trunk to trunk spacing.

Hopefully the pics will help the understanding of the situation. You all know what an inclusion looks like, so that won't be anything new. Below is the actively cracking tree.

View across pasture.

f

Hand for scale, pointing at obvious inclusion.

I couldn't think of poorer structure in these trees. Zero early structural pruning. Crisis only picking up of ripped off branches.
Worst of the damages trees.

 

[guymayor]

Bracing and cabling can be a longterm fix and spare the pruning work.

VERY cost effective--how much does a bolt cost?

 

[southsoundtree]

I'm suspecting that we would be talking 75-100 bolts and cables for the 30 (minus the badly broken ones) trees, plus labor, in order to skip pruning. Or bolt them down low, and bolt them up high. Faster and cheaper than cabling. Will still need a generator for an electric drill. Small diameter (1/4" or 5/16") bolts would probably work enough, rather than 1/2".

How will they be dealt with in the long term if they are full of metal? Can't be chipped or tub ground, so burning or hauling to the landfill.

Probably cheaper to have them get a landscaper to top them. Then when they ultimately fail, the can be chipped and recycled.

In the mean time, they will just have to keep picking up after them every time the wind blows hard. If they didn't catch me yesterday, and I didn't walk down there this morning, then returned with some rope, then another large one would have split in half.

 

[macrocarpa]

Lots of legitimate tree services round over bradford pears. I don't offer it as a service because I just don't want to. It is basically topping, but it does prolong the life of the tree and the cuts are small enough that decay is usually not a major issue. Plus bradfors respond more like a bush than a typical tree after a topping cut. The problem is it needs to be done every several years or its pointless to start rounding them over.

Other option is to thin out and reduce lateral weight by elevating. + I have taken cobra and wrapped it around the main trunks connecting the ends by splicing them together.

My opinion for the long term (being 10+ years), either elevate them quick and easy and let them run there course knowing that they will all eventually be replaced or just get it over with and cut and replace now. 12-25 years can be expected from a bradford.

Not to mention the flowers smell like fish oil. $#!t on a stick (Latin for bradford pear)

 

[guymayor]

rounding over to nodes is not basically topping; it is reduction. but like you i don't like to offer it; very high mtc. and pita work

"I'm suspecting that we would be talking 75-100 bolts and cables for the 30 (minus the badly broken ones) trees, plus labor, in order to skip pruning."

ok; 2 cables/tree or more, and one bolt/tree for the bad splits

"Or bolt them down low, and bolt them up high. Faster and cheaper than cabling.

bolt low, yes. bolt high what does that mean? 1/8" aircraft cables and clamps are cheap. see bmps

"Will still need a generator for an electric drill.

why? portable drills are cheap...cmon you got one already...are you trying to get out of this job by making stuff up?

"Small diameter (1/4" or 5/16") bolts would probably work enough, rather than 1/2".

true. 3/8" for 5-8" dia trees. see the bmps

"How will they be dealt with in the long term if they are full of metal? Can't be chipped or tub ground,

yes they can; cable attachment locations are clear and you can just tie aluminum strand to bolt ends so they are always sticking out, or fasten another lasting tag like the ones sherrills makes. then the metal can be cut out before processing the debris 50-200 years later when the treee dies of old age.