Disaster in the Forest

This honey locust tree that I'd been nursing along ever since I became his owner (his previous owner had topped him, severely stunting his growth), was coming along well. His only problem was that the new leader wouldn't seem to take control and become a real leader. By 2004, this is what he looked like. But the high winds kept his new leader bent (blown) over and it looked like he might be forever stunted.

So, I took matters into my own (non-arborist) hands and put guy-wire-type ropes on three sides, with one rope on the leader. Then, getting impatient, I pulled the ropes too tight. And this is what happened: The leader (roped off) and a secondary limb separated at the crotch and split down the middle of the trunk about 8 inches. Oh, my, what a disaster. Because I was unable to come up with an instant solution, and because the secondary limb (helped along by the high winds that we have in this area year-round) continued to pull the trunk apart in an ever-lengthening split, I chose to cut off the secondary limb, leaving a stump of about eight inches, until I could decide what course of action to take.

After much information-gathering and a few unsuccessful tries to repair the split and bring the two halves together, more than one week later I managed to winch the split halves back together and tighten the halves in place. My great expectation is that the split will heal and grow together, though not without a few lumps and distortions. I'll keep photographing it as the summer progresses.

It's my hope that this tree is strong enough to return to its healthy and sturdy self.