Reviving old orange tree in new house. Worth trying to save?
bwyand92
7 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (35)
BarbJP 15-16/9B CA Bay Area
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoRelated Discussions
Live Oak-Worth Saving?
Comments (18)the lichens are irrelevant .... i dont know about your southern mosses ... very spooky and all ... lol ... dont rule out.. that it came with those.. on the huge transplant... we just dont know ... as such.. i cant use that info in any formulation of cause and effect .. if i needed to go beyond a bad stock purchase ... ah.. pshaw.. get rid of the lot of them.. and make your own mistakes.. and future problems.. lol ... thats how i learned ... lol ken...See Morenew, and trying to save my yard from bamboo
Comments (5)From my observations on this forum, once a bamboo is established you can't really get it back into control, only eradicate it. If you wanted to have the bamboo later on I would divide some out and establish it elsewhere while you destroy the established grove. Having said that, CUT IT ALL DOWN. The key is to not leave anything green above ground. If you can't root prune then you can't separate the rhizome you want to live and what you want to die. Kicking over shoots guides the grove but everything underground keeps being fed. So it all has to go. Cut it all, then kicking over the shoots will begin to exhaust the root mass. This will still likely take several years. Meanwhile your original division you set aside can be getting healthy to be transplanted back into a controlled spot. Upon re-establishing the division you can control it with root pruning so it will stay put. At least that's what seems to work for others. Other popular suggestion is to cut, water, tarp for a few days. I believe in the sun it steams the root mass for added kill effect....See MoreIs it worth saving this spruce tree? Picture included
Comments (19)allina, let me come at this a little differently. By your description I think the bobcat's issues may have been a weight lifting issue. Smaller bobcats only have a lifting capacity of around 500-1000 pounds. If they were trying to get deep under the tree and he put his forks down in the soil very far, it would make sense that he could not lift it. Between the resistance from the roots and the compacted soil, I could see it exceeding the bobcats's lifting ability pretty quickly. But I've also dug out 12' spruces before by hand so it is doable. Spruce tree root structures aren't all the extensive when they're young. The picture may be misleading me but it appears the tree is only about 5-6' tall. You also said the tree has been in the ground for some time so let's say it's a dwarf that is pretty well settled in. You should still be able to dig out a root ball around the base of that tree say 1 to 1 1/2' out from the trunk in all directions and then down about 2', and you'll have all the roots you'd need for that tree to survive. Adding to that depth another foot just to compenate for the deep planting originally, that means you'd be digging a ball 2-3' round and 3' deep. That's should be manageable for a couple of strong people. Lifting the weight of the rootball once you have it ready to go will be the difficult task. Then you can either move it to a new location or simply fill in about a foot or so of dirt under the root ball you lifted and then place it back in the hole. Once done now scrape off the top foot or so of dirt surrounding the trunk with your shovel. There shouldn't be any roots in the dirt to speak of since all the dirt was above the original root ball. When you start hitting a lot of tiny fibrous roots then stop scraping and that will be your new ground level base. Be sure the base is a little above your yard's normal ground level for good drainage. Now recover with mulch up to about 2-3" away from the trunk. mark...See MoreNew -Old Gothic Revival House
Comments (29)From someone that lives in a "fake Victorian", though out in the country not the burbs, I think it's a beautiful home, though I'd prefer it all have all been done in stained wood. Just my preference. The kind of materials, as in quality of & sizes of solid woods, along with the quality of craftsmanship that was readily available over a hundred years ago for the "real thing" are very lacking today. If you do have a source of good quality solid woods in true to measured sizes and someone with excellent wood working skills you'll find it's cost prohibitive to most of us. Even some with buck loads of money. Boy would that be nice, though I would hope if I did I'd be philanthropic first before I built such a lavish home. My hubby and I know that our home will never stack up to the real thing. He loved me enough to build the home of my dreams. He didn't care for VICs at the beginning, though he did liked the floorplans with my changes. He also took time to learn and teach me new skills along the way to make it as beautiful as we can. Remember, most of us look at our homes differently then others do. Some see their own homes through rose colored glasses where others see many flaws. Then there are those that look at their home as lacking when others see only the beauty. If it makes the owners happy to feel they have a historical "worthy" home, then so be it. Happy is good as long as their happiness doesn't harm others....See Morebwyand92
7 years agoSuzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
7 years agofireballsocal
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agobwyand92
7 years agofireballsocal
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agofireballsocal
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agofireballsocal
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agoBarbJP 15-16/9B CA Bay Area
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agoBarbJP 15-16/9B CA Bay Area
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agobwyand92
7 years agoBarbJP 15-16/9B CA Bay Area
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agoBarbJP 15-16/9B CA Bay Area
7 years agobwyand92
7 years agotom1328732
7 years agobwyand92
7 years ago
Related Stories

HOMES AROUND THE WORLDHouzz Tour: Easy Mix of Old and New Revives a Family Townhouse
Contemporary furniture and modern fixtures blend with period architecture in this large open-plan home in London
Full Story
MY HOUZZMy Houzz: Attention to Detail Revives a Century-Old Louisville Home
After 13 years of wishful thinking, a couple complete a 5-year renovation in their historic Highlands neighborhood
Full Story
FUN HOUZZDecorated Houses Help Save a Detroit Neighborhood
Art's a start for an inner-city community working to stave off urban blight and kindle a renaissance
Full Story
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHTStep Inside a Frank Lloyd Wright House Saved From Demolition
The historic Phoenix property is now part of the architect’s school at Taliesin, where it will be used as a design lab
Full Story
LIFE‘I Saw a Glowing Orange Flame Racing Down the Hill to My House’
With more wildfires raging in California, a Sonoma County artist comes to terms with escaping the October fires intact
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESThe Hidden Problems in Old Houses
Before snatching up an old home, get to know what you’re in for by understanding the potential horrors that lurk below the surface
Full Story
MOST POPULARThe Most Incredible Kids' Tree House You'll Ever See?
Duck your head to enter this unforgettable Dallas wonderwork, lovingly crafted with imaginative delights
Full Story
CHRISTMASNot Up for a Big, Decorated Tree? Try One of These Ideas
If you’re not home much at the holidays or are a minimalist at heart, these 4 simple tree ideas may work for you
Full Story
ARCHITECTUREEnergy-Saving Ideas From 3 Affordable Green-Built Houses
Get lessons in budget-friendly green building from design competition winners in New York state
Full Story
HOUSEKEEPING10 Problems Your House May Be Trying to Show You
Ignore some of these signs and you may end up with major issues. We tell you which are normal and which are cause for concern
Full Story
Eric E