Lost my pear tree

15 years ago

I knew I would some day because they're just are so weak and every winter my neighbors lose them. We got freezing rain all last night. I have a leak in my sunroom, thankfully the temp has gone down enough that it's not leaking anymore and it's snowing. I have a huge pot under the leak, Alex and I dumped it out early this morning but it overflowed in the night. The carpet is soaked in that corner.

I hear trees cracking out there and just hope the power doesn't go out now.

Pear tree:

One of my neighbor's down the street lost a tree too:

Backyard, you can see part of the redbud tree on the ground.

My neighbor just came over and gave me his cell phone number in case the power goes out. He said he has a generator and he would get my downed tree cleaned up after the storm. Isn't that nice? I was about to call the lawncare people to get my name on the top of the list-lol.

It is pretty out there, though:

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Comments (25)

jannie
15 years ago
Oh,how awful! My Mom lost her plum tree in 2006,I tried to replace it for her but that one died too.
nodakgal
15 years ago
Darn ice!!!
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The section with the squirrel has a bark ridge and is therefore probably more secure than the two main trunks in the center that appear to have included bark, making it likely that the tree is going to split down the middle at some point in time. Esp. since Callery pear cultivars often break up after awhile anyway. This, to me, is the main practical issue here - there is a perhaps strong possibility of the tree falling open and smashing the fence. Otherwise cutting the lowest large branches off is not going to remove the shadow produced by the rest of the crown above the point where these were. As long as the bottom of the crown doesn't start resting on the fence, there seems to be no point in trying to limb it up. Except for the threat of total tree failure being something you might want to address with the owner it seems to me all you have to do is plant shade plants in the very small part of your otherwise apparently pretty wide open yard that the tree overhangs.
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tami_ohio
15 years ago
I'm sorry to hear you lost your pear tree. I hope you don't loose power and that your leak isn't too bad. I hope the water doesn't freeze in the roof/ceiling and cause you more trouble. Use a carpet cleaner or wet vac to suck up as much of the water in the carpet as you can.

Tami
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
I didn't think about that Tami, good idea. Now to find my wet vac....or put together my steam cleaner that's still in the box.

I've been wanting to get rid of the pear tree since I moved in here, going to plant sugar maple in it's place. So, I'm not too sad about that tree, but my redbud out back is beautiful in the spring. ) :
grammahony
15 years ago
Oh crap. I'm sorry you lost your tree. I hope your insurance covers your roof. That was really nice of your neighbor to lend his phone and offer to clean up the tree. That'll save you some money.
Leslie
sandy_in_ia
15 years ago
I hate to see the damage of the ice. But man it is so beautiful to look at on the trees!

I think you may want to find someone soon to get your roof looked at...you may end with much greater damage with the freezing and thawing.
pattico_gw
15 years ago
A few years ago when we had one of those ice storm...it was early in the year and the trees still had their leaves, so there was an extra amount of ice weighing on the branches.

People were outside with 2x4's beating the branches to break off the ice and saved many a tree that way.

But we lost tons of trees in Omaha and here in Council Bluffs....huge branches broke off. One of our pines lost it's top..but you can't even tell it anymore.

patti
OklaMoni
15 years ago
Kath, a sugar maple is really not that much sturdier of a tree. Check with your local extension office, and ask for a list of "good trees".

Here, it is listed as a "trash tree".

Sorry.

Moni
caroline94535
15 years ago
That is such a shame. Didn't you plant that tree yourself, not long after buying the house?

Hang in there.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
Yeah, I know Moni but I really want a sugar maple or some type of orange-leafed maple.

I went out after I posted this and knocked some of the ice off my crabapple tree. I don't want it to break. It's such a pretty tree. Don't think the redbud is going to make it this time. One large trunk is dead and I pulled some of the big limbs off that were half dead because they were hanging over onto the crabapple and I didn't want it to break on it's on, onto the crabapple. My arms are sore but I got a good workout-lol.

Caroline, no I didn't plant the pear tree, the previous owner did. There was one in the backyard too but I lost it one Winter too.
wifetojoeiii
15 years ago
OMG - we lost a plum tree in a windstorm earlier this year. 3 years ago (Oct 2006) Buffalo & Western NY was hit by a real wet snowstorm - the city of Buffalo & surrounding areas lost absolutely 100s of very old wonderful trees. We lost huge parts of a very old old tree in our yard ( I think it is a maple?) It took us weeks to cut & clean up the mess.

We are going to pant a baby plum tree this year to replace the one we lost.
linda_in_iowa
15 years ago
Sorry for all the damage to the trees. Get that roof fixed right away.
Caroline, I planted a peach tree right after I bought my house and each winter I keep my fingers crossed that the tree makes it. Fortunately we dodged this ice storm.
susan_on
15 years ago
That's a shame. I hate when my trees get damaged. I hope it isn't a big job to get your roof fixed.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
The sunroom has a metal roof and it's one corner so I'm hoping it's not too bad.

Alex just told me that one of his classmates died the other day in this storm. OMG. How awful. Lauren started whining about me going out in this to get a blizzard from Dairy Queen, yeah right. That's when he told her and me about this kid.
patti43
15 years ago
I'm glad you and the kids are safe. I've been worrying about you today.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Patti, still have power, keep your fingers crossed. Lot of people in the area don't, don't have water. In Lexington thousands of people don't have electricity and they are sitting up shelters around the city. I plan to be better prepared next year.
missindia2020
15 years ago
Oh, that's such a shame! Where is this? Oklahoma?
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm in Central KY.

Why won't this thing take a one or two word reply????
pattico_gw
15 years ago
Here is a pretty Maple...it is a Red Maple and is a hard wood, so it is stronger.
We planted this one about a year ago.
missindia2020
15 years ago
I think I've only driven through Louisville. Pretty state!
vicki_lv_nv
15 years ago
Ohhhhhhhh, that is so sad! I know the ice is beautiful to look at, but I hate to see a tree end up like that.
susanjf_gw
15 years ago
kath..if you get a maple and prune it carefully, it's less a "junk tree" (that what we did with a silver) and none of those split trunks, which cause all the problems...
kathleen44
15 years ago
When its all done leaking, rip up the carpet and air under it too as it soaks right down and then you will get mold which you don't want.

Trees take a huge blow to storms like that. Its unbelievable the damage that happens.
jemdandy
15 years ago
Trim the broken parts from you pear tree leaving clean cuts. It may survive but it won't be like its former self for at least 10 years. Also, it may begin to rot from the severe wounds.

If this was a grafted tree, it appears that all the damage is elevated well above the graft.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
15 years ago
Jendandy, I really don't want to keep the pear tree. Everytime we get an ice storm someone in town loses one of them. The other tree down in the above picture is also a Bradford pear.

Lost my pear tree

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