My tree fainted

[Geoffm]

Pretty much sums up this year...
Been a bit windy, and not from the prevailing direction.
A large liquid amber (i think) decided to have a lie down on top of the house.
Acouple of days before



And 2 days ago. Big thanks to the neighbours with help, their tractor, grapple and big chainsaws. Of course, in New Zealand, the world stops over the Christmas break until the 12th January.

 

[magnet]

High winds and full foliage never a good mix. Suppose there is one silver lining, plenty of firewood in a year or two, and as long as no one was hurt its fixable.
Good luck with the clear up looks like you're on it. Oh, and happy new year

 

[Norsk]

Lucky in some ways I suppose.

looks like the roots were damaged when they put in the block paving next door.

Where abouts in NZ are you?

 

[jo1010]

WOW!! That was a close one.....trees can make for a very bad day....

 

[Geoffm]

I am near Auckland, around 50km south. The tree would be around 50 years old, and the block driveway around 40 years old. The problem was the roots were really shallow, 600 -800mm deep. You can see on the photos how they spread sideways, but didn't grow downwards very far.
Remarkably little damage to the house. A hole in the roof, temporarily repaired with tape, bent roofing iron, some cracked weatherboard and 3 broken windows. One sash will need to go to a joiner to have the centre mullion replaced and the glazier fixed the other 2 today with new glass.

We had 3 trees there until a few months ago, but called in some arbourists and had 2 cut down as they were rotten, and this one had a big branch over the house so it was trimmed and balanced up. Wouldn't have a house otherwise today.

 

[RichardM]

Fortunate bit of trimming earlier. Hope it all gets sorted quickly.
Have a good New Year.

 

[Pete.]

Wow Geoff, looks like you got very lucky there. What a way to spoil your Christmas and new year.

 

[8ob]

The most damage in cases like this can be the visual aspect, plant something with tap roots Link! A friend of mine in Kent lost all of his feature trees in a storm, he replanted but sold it shortly after that because it had lost all of its character

Bob

 

[Kram]

Thats quite a big liquid amber. They can rot rapidly! Any sign of rot at the base or roots? Looks to have a hollow at bonnet level in the first pic.