Small Holly tree partially uprooted in the storm - possible to rectify?

The Holly tree is only about ten feet high but it's tipped over a bit (a nearby wall stopped it going right over) and a couple of reasonably sized shallow roots are now exposed. the trunk is pretty slim, maybe 3 or so inches in diameter.

Can I 'rescue' this in any way?

A stake won't hold it I don't think, I've pondered using some kind of heavy duty, large steel 'staples' to try and hold down the currently exposed roots but not sure if that'll help much at all.

Any suggestions please? I'd like to keep the tree if possible.

 

Can you put some bracket etc on that Wall to support the tree as high up as possible ?

Otherwise can only suggest you sink something like a Metropost Spike with a post at the back of it ? that should be strong enough.
If the soil is too loose for a spike consider concreting it or a post in , but have found a few plants suffer if fresh concrete is placed near them, so lining the hole with plastic etc might help.

 

Thanks for the ideas.

Unfortunately the Holly tree is about three feet away from the wall.

Will look into the Metropost Spike.

 

If you have a lawn or similar in front I would start by digging around the front of the tree so you can rebury the roots, it will also make next bit easier. Then drive a post in a few feet away, 45° to the vertical and put a rope around the holly about 6 ft up, pad the trunk with some hessian or similar. Pull it upright lash to the post, recover the roots now a couple of inches down or more firm them in and leave till the end of summer.

 

Holly are predominantly shallow rooted. Consider whether you can undermine the tree on the upwind side, so that you can get the roots down deeper as you pull it back upright. You might get a Tirfor winch* from a hire shop, or buy this# to do the pulling. Position 2-3 wooden stakes a fair distance (beyond the root area), sloped away from the tree, construct guy ropes with inline barrel strainers to tension, so that you can adjust tightness over time , and eventually remove (3 years !)
Once positioned to your satisfaction, apply lots of organic matter to feed and encourage lots more roots, especially on the upwind side.
Consider whether the tree might benefit from reduction in height to lessen the wind forces
#https://www.amazon.co.uk/AB-Tools-T...&hvtargid=pla-711005907984&psc=1&gad_source=1

 

Alright I was being on optimist with 6 months; I'll go back to being a pessimist.

 

Thanks for the tips.

Depending on what I do it may be a few days before I can get started, in the meantime do the exposed roots need to be kept wet and covered?

 

We would keep them moist /wet and covered with soil, cardboard or natural cloth /sacking etc.

However you support the tree do use one or more of the proper Rubber Tree Straps.

Think we would look at using that wall as the main strength for any support.
If wires as @infradig suggests, two of the three could be well held by the wall, if its strong enough ?

 

Getting back to this, I have a good stake to put in but due to back problems I can't do it myself so am waiting for a friend to do the work with the post driver. Bearing in mind that the wind was blowing from the north (so the tree tipped to the south) I've put in a temporary stake on the south side.

I am though curious, which side should I place the main stake? Seems logical in this case to put it on the north side so that the rubber strap and stake is pulling it upright, although generally trees are apparently staked on the side of the prevailing wind, however I feel that doing the same here won't give adequate support.

Any thoughts pleas?

 

Well its the tried and tested way.

You do want to allow it a little movement as that encourages it to build up its strength in the stem and roots, though for your tallish Holly with plenty of top growth(?) it might be worth securing higher up than they usually suggest while it gets its roots back down.

While you say it was a North wind, isn't West more common ?

 

Thanks.

Yes, there's a lot of growth up top.

In this case storm Darragh delivered its most ferocious winds from a north westerly/northerly direction(very unusual), I usually get the strongest winds from the west and south west.

As the tree tipped to the south should I be placing the support post to the north or to the south of the tree (the latter direction is where it was leaning before I temporarily staked it up).

 

As above, 3 stakes at 120 deg, ie nw,ssw,nne assuming wall is ese

 

Thanks!