A young oak tree was "strangled" by a vine - probably wild grape.
What I had thought was a branch was really the main trunk growing sideways.
Anyway, I've gotten rid of the vine, but the oak tree is still sideways. If it were vertical it would be tall and spindly (on the order of 20' tall and very skinny). There are other trees nearby that sort of block it from being vertical.
Should I try and rescue it? Should I just cut it down? I have no problem w/ thinning the other trees - they need it - especially to get rid of some more vines.
Maybe dig the soil away so that the 'stump' or underground part can move
Splint or stake it vertical...or even close to vertical. Trees growing at an angle can be interesting
About 30 years ago a client had a pin oak that grew so much that the top gotnso
Heavy and it tipped down. It looked like a shepherds crook. I got a long handrail from the lumberyard to use as a splint. I held the top of the splint next The to
Trunk and used three wraps of 3M duct tape to hold the splint. About every 18" or so. It was sketchy standing so high on my step ladder. Four years later I got a call to do more work there. The duct tape held for the four years and the trunk was straight
I'm working there now. That pin oak is straight and the three inch tree is now 15" diameter! Last year I pruned off some normal deadwood
Indians in North America used to bend a sapping sideways maybe four feet off the ground and stake it so that it would develop into a trail marker. Used to be one on some property I owned in Michigan. Here's an example, but not mine
I've had good luck straightening bent trees with cables. Where the cable pulled against the tree I put it through short pieces heavy water hose. For a tree bent over part way up I'd put one cable at the top of the bottom part to hold it vertical then maybe two higher to pull on the upper part, angled out to make a "tripod".
One of my apple trees needed straightening when small, the trunk was bent and leaning and the weight from the top was slowly pulling the tree over. Since the tree was small I pounded in a "T" fence post then tied it to the post with several 3/4" plastic straps. (Straps were from a bundle of lumber.) I moved the straps a little every year. Five years later the tree is straight and sturdy.
If the tree is where it gets lots of sun, cutting off the top may not be a bad idea. I don't know about oak but some trees will respond by branching wildly. I trimmed a few feet from the top of a 10' paulonia after I dug it up and transplanted it in the horse pasture. Instead of growing tall and straight it branched out into a great shade tree.
I say go for it. Nothing to lose. I have all sorts of methods going in my little yard. I've used everything from bolts to twine and everything in between. Amazing what you can do. Doesn't always work, but mostly it does. I have a dogwood that had a large split from ice. I used 4 stainless bolts and it looks like Frankenstein, but it has been holding for several years. I tried to seal the top of the crack from water so it wouldn't get in there and freeze and make things worse. So far, so good. Heck, some folks make trees do some really crazy things like sculptures and such.
