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Weeping Willow

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From: Joe Aulette City: Columbus, OH
I have a 3 yr old weeping willow, apprx 25 ft. The top third was bent over and touching the ground after a particularly heavy snow and ice storm, which also pulled the bottom third out of alignment. We staked from about 7' up to align the trunk but the top third still leans. We are thinking about getting up to the top 7' or so and pulling the top back into alignment with a stake. Or will it eventually just straighten out this coming season?
	Extension Message From: Jay Hayek Extension Specialist, Forestry Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences jhayek@illinois.edu
Greetings Joe: The longer the tree continues to lean, the more difficult it will be to bring the tree back in line with vertical. Sometimes these trees pull out of it; however, sometimes we need to jump in and help the tree recover its original shape. Corrective measures often include guy lines and/or staking as you indicated in your original questions. Selective pruning may also be necessary. As always, it is best to consult a certified arborist as on-site consultation is usually superior to on-line advice :-)
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