Leaning Loblolly pine tree (grown, grass, trees, yard)

[Tennesseestorm]

I have alot of Loblolly pines that are perfectly straight, but back in early April 2007 when we had a hard late freeze, it damaged alot of the new growth on my Lobolly pines. This was the only one whose new growth didnt straighten back out. Now its leaning badly. I had it tied up for awhile, but wondering if it would hurt it rather than help it. Any suggestions? Do you think this tree will even back up in a few years when its larger?

Here is a photo...


as you can see in a photo of a couple of other ones, they are fine, as are the rest... these are not tied to hold them up, but rather just to mark them from the trimmers that come to grandpas house next door... those trees are planted on ours and grandpas property line.

[Okiegirlfriend]

Tie it up for a few years and it should help.

[JQ Public]

It seems shady where they are. Most I see are in full sun. That could help them straighten out. If you can't get them in full sun then staking may be best. Good luck!

[Moth]

If its in shade, any chance it is leaning towards the sun? I have seen one do that.

[bluepacific]

Originally Posted by Tennesseestorm

I have alot of Loblolly pines that are perfectly straight, but back in early April 2007 when we had a hard late freeze, it damaged alot of the new growth on my Lobolly pines. This was the only one whose new growth didnt straighten back out. Now its leaning badly. I had it tied up for awhile, but wondering if it would hurt it rather than help it. Any suggestions? Do you think this tree will even back up in a few years when its larger?

As you can see in a photo of a couple of other ones, they are fine, as are the rest... these are not tied to hold them up, but rather just to mark them from the trimmers that come to grandpas house next door... those trees are planted on ours and grandpas property line.

No doubt you will have to stake them up for a time. It looks like you planted them from nursery stock rather late, or is that just my imagination ??? They simply look rather leggy like they had been grown together by the hundreds in pots crowded together.

One of the most immediate things I would do is innoculate them with mycorrhizal fungal spores. There is a company that farms them, but the have distributors. Here's the link:

Tools, articles and resources to help answer your mycorrhizae questions

Pines and Oak especially need mycorrhizal colonization on their roots. Do this and you'll never have to fertilize. Here's an example of the differences between pines that have them and those that don't. The first two examples are redwood seedlings with and without. The next are grape seedlings with and without. Trust me, it has nothing to do with the type of miracle grow they use. Finally a tiny pine seedling with three distinct roots of it's own further enhanced by the colonization of beneficial fungi to enhance the uptake of water and nutrients by 200%

http://winebusiness.com/Archives/Monthly/2000/0400/bmd0043.jpg (broken link)http://www.micronbio-systems.com/images/rhizoboost_pic1.jpg (broken link)

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah, there ar some taller trees on the east side of the leaning pine, but it stil gets alot of afternoon sun. The main reason it started leaning is that in 2007, we had that late freeze and the new growth bent over and down like a wet noodle.... it never straightened back up completely whereas the others did. The lower two photos, as far as I knew were fine. I had posted them in comparison to the other leaning tree, but are they troubled too? They are among some larger trees as well. We only have an acre and a half of land, so I had to squeeze these in the best I could, but these seem fine - they are not leaning and they have almost doubled in size this year. Those are tied/staked, but its not holding them up, they are not leaning... it was only done to mark them to keep the yard caretakers from chopping them up... that property you see off where the van and truck bed is belongs to my grandfather and he has people cut his grass.

I will go ahead and tie the other leaning one up. I have a Southern Live Oak off to the west of that tree, as well as a Slash pine (smaller), so its only going to get less lighting... hopefully it will be OK.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by JQ Public

It seems shady where they are. Most I see are in full sun. That could help them straighten out. If you can't get them in full sun then staking may be best. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Moth

If its in shade, any chance it is leaning towards the sun? I have seen one do that.

Originally Posted by bluepacific

No doubt you will have to stake them up for a time. It looks like you planted them from nursery stock rather late, or is that just my imagination ??? They simply look rather leggy like they had been grown together by the hundreds in pots crowded together.

One of the most immediate things I would do is innoculate them with mycorrhizal fungal spores. There is a company that farms them, but the have distributors. Here's the link:

Tools, articles and resources to help answer your mycorrhizae questions

Pines and Oak especially need mycorrhizal colonization on their roots. Do this and you'll never have to fertilize. Here's an example of the differences between pines that have them and those that don't. The first two examples are redwood seedlings with and without. The next are grape seedlings with and without. Trust me, it has nothing to do with the type of miracle grow they use. Finally a tiny pine seedling with three distinct roots of it's own further enhanced by the colonization of beneficial fungi to enhance the uptake of water and nutrients by 200%