I live in Upstate NY - near the Canadian border - yes, WAY upstate - Zone 4a! I wanted to post some pictures of the ice storm that we had around Christmas. Many of our trees were destroyed - seriously. I have a White Pine that I loved - blocked the view of the house - that is basically sheared away in the middle. Still not sure what we are going to do with this. Many trees were just snapped. My Tamarack snapped and the top ten feet of the tree broke off. Three Red Cedars almost done for. Poplars that were sheared. I will be honesty and say it is hard for me to go back and look at these pictures. Almost two months later now we have cut and chipped some limbs (figured we better get started on this early) that are already on the ground. The big Black Cherry we had to skid out with the 4-wheeler and we cut down the remaining truck and skidded that out too. We have had quite a bit of snowfall as of late so getting in there with the chipper is not possible now. When we bought this property it hadn't been maintained all that well in the last few years. We have worked hard the last three years sprucing it up and to see this act of God hurt. It is ironic to me because I know how obsessed, literally, I have been with it and to watch God allow it to be cut down in a matter of days - wow! Maybe He is trying to tell me something - more important things in life???? My DH kept telling me it could have been worse - tree through the roof, etc. - he is right I know but still hard for me to swallow - I loved all the work we had done. If anyone has any suggestions as far as what to do with these - obviously some have to be cut to the ground - I'd appreciate to hear anyone's opinion. White Pine Before/During Ice Storm - entire middle section is pretty much missing. You can see the snapped branches - I couldn't believe how many I hauled out of there that were just snapped off. Tamarack with top ten feet snapped out of it. Next to White Pine in above picture. Three Red Cedars as the ice storm was just starting/and now. Black Cherry Limb snapped off - honestly, this is the only one I really did want gone. Back of the house: You can see the White Birch that is hanging toward the house in the center and over another smaller red cedar. This tree is really three trunks and I imagine we will be cutting it down this Spring. The one limb never went all the way back up and the other two trunks are snapped at the tops.

"There is a plant hormone called auxin (plant types here know it well) that heals tree wounds. Unfortunately it is only found within a foot or less after a fork." Sorry, but that's simply pure rubbish and is not even close to a valid reason for the way trees should be trimmed! _____________________________________ Trees don't "heal". They grow over (cover) their wounds. When terminal/heading cuts are made (as in when a tree is topped), the tree grows to cover over its wounds by growing new branches at or near the cut. At least two problems occur at heading cuts. First, the time it takes for new branches to develop into the size it takes to develop enough growth to cover the relatively large wounds is often longer than it takes for the exposed wood to rot. And second, the branches that do form at these heading cuts are often poorly attached and fail as they grow (rewounding the tree). So the problems are timing (growth not fast enough to prevent rot) and structural quality (poorly attached branches).

Terrine: You have wonderful wisdom--much appreciated. And, as bad as this storm was on my favorite groves of trees, every time I see the reports about what this storm did to people in places like the Jersey Shore, I realize that any losses I have suffered in my woods are nothing. By the way, I grew up in NJ and enjoyed the Jersey shore regularly--I know just what was lost. And how the people are suffering. Horrible! But, to put things in perspective, my timberland is still an incredible treasure. Nature giveth, and nature taketh away. But mostly I have seen, and will continue to see, the giving. Ken: as for pictures--I think I can get a good picture from a distance of the grove in Hampshire County that had the worst destruction. Because most of the trees there lost their tops, they will have good sun exposure and will grow new tops in just a few years. The ones that won't be able to do that are those single trees broken in the dense forest--some of these were absolute beauties. And some lost just too much of their crowns to recover, regardless. In additiion, I can easily get good pictures of the damage to the young and/or understory hemlocks. When I go up again in the next few days I will make picture taking a priority. Last time I had no interest--I was too busy surveying the damage, and "surviving" in my little trailer with no electricity and no water --Spruce

probably going to slaughter the name ... but how about : Picea abies 'Virgata' ... leader growth is easily 2 to 3 feet ... but i dont know if its zone appropriate for you ... but if you insist on a pine.. how about a winter yellow .. like Louie ... again.. if it will work in your area .... or if you want to stick with green... at least a sublime pine.. like ... carp.. i just blanked.. lol.... Pinus koraiensis ... or even wallichiana in your zone .... or: Picea omorika 'Pendula' -- Weeping Serbian Spruce ... with its white undersides.. and slightly blue tinge .... or one of the spring yellow blush pungens .... like early gold or colonial gold ... mine went from one foot to about 15 in 10 years ... and just to set you straight.. just about anything FAST GROWING .... is weak wooded ... and subject to the same storm and ice damage you have already noted ..... i would not look for pines.. like strobus.. that do 3 to 5 feet per year.. find something in the 1.5 to 3 foot growth range .. MAX!!!!! you asked for ideas.. and it is for you or others to determine if my ideas would work in your area .... ken ps: joy says it should be Picea abies 'Cranstonii' ... rather than virigata ... lets see if he did a reply.. before he got to my ps... lol ... Here is a link that might be useful: link