# Slow Growth Oak



## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

I have a few questions for the tree experts or anyone else. In our backyard there is this old nasty pine tree that the power company topped and basically ruined the tree. Growing under the tree are 2 small oak trees that are about 3 or 4 years old. They are about 6 to maybe 8 feet high and fairly small. 
My dad me and brother want to cut the pine down to let the oaks grow better. My mom says that the oaks will grow better and have better wood if they are kind of "restricted" by the pine. "slow growth". Is this true? Can anyone shed any light on this. I have been wondering about this and am looking for another reason the take down the pine.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

I think if the two oaks are closer than 16 foot apart I would take the weaker of the two. I would defiantly take the pine out if it is in the way of the oaks. The oaks will out grow the pine eventually anyway and since it sounds like the pine has some issues I would bring it down. Depending on how high the wires are you will have to deal with this again in the future.


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## HomeBody (Nov 24, 2010)

Cut the pine and move the oaks. If not, the power company will come eventually and break your heart by topping your oak trees. Gary


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Oaks are very slow growing. If they are under the wires it will be many years before they will get big enough to have to have their tops cut out.

If they are under the wires I would move them. Oaks that big will need a large root ball taken out for them to survive in a new location.

Remove the pine regardless.

George


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## qbilder (Dec 19, 2010)

No matter what you do, it's going to be a very long time before the results are conclusive. Unless you're a vampire, you're probably not going to be alive to get good lumber quality logs out of now sapling oaks. If you live long enough to see harvest, then you lived a long life & the tree's growth rate won't matter to you. 

But to answer the question, I do not feel an oak growing under a pine tree will be a good thing. It has to compete for sun, water, and nutrients. The soil around the pine will be acidic & depleted. The reason that oak will grow slow isn't the right kind of reason to make it good lumber. Now if it were growing under a mature forest canopy, with plenty of moisture and only lacking sun, then yeah it might eventually be a superb lumber tree.


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## Stinger4me (Nov 27, 2009)

If the trees are the same species, they can root graft and help each other along. Trees in the Red Oak group will root graft as will trees in the White Oak group. RO's and WO's will not root graft. At 6-8 feet height I think the tree spade will be in order if you choose to move them. If they are relocated give them a year and then make sure they have tree spikes and plenty of water to drink. If they are growing on/in good soil they will respond. Good Luck with the venture.


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

Thanks for all the responses! I'm convinced that the pine needs to come down. It's ugly and has brown needles. My mom likes it because she says the woodpeckers come and eat the bugs out of it. 

Will it matter if the soil is acidic for the oaks. 
I have never here of the the red oaks helping each other grow. Do you know anything else about this. I think that's pretty interesting.


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

BigJoe16 said:


> Thanks for all the responses! I'm convinced that the pine needs to come down. It's ugly and has brown needles. My mom likes it because she says the woodpeckers come and eat the bugs out of it.
> 
> Will it matter if the soil is acidic for the oaks.
> I have never here of the the red oaks helping each other grow. Do you know anything else about this. I think that's pretty interesting.


Yeah, take down the Pine before it becomes a hazard. FYI, ring-porous hardwoods like Oak are actually stronger when they grow fast. That's because the earlywood growth rings are about the same width, regardless of growth rate. The latewood rings, however, are much wider during fast growth. The latewood is much stronger than the earlywood, thus the tree as a whole is stronger when it grows fast. (from Hoadley's "Understanding Wood")

In East Texas we have a mix of Pine and hardwood forests. The soil is very acidic and the Oaks grow fine here. West of here where the soil becomes more alkaline, the Pines peter out and the Oaks are mostly scrubby Live Oaks.


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## Horatio (Apr 4, 2012)

ETWW said:


> Yeah, take down the Pine before it becomes a hazard. FYI, ring-porous hardwoods like Oak are actually stronger when they grow fast. That's because the earlywood growth rings are about the same width, regardless of growth rate. The latewood rings, however, are much wider during fast growth. The latewood is much stronger than the earlywood, thus the tree as a whole is stronger when it grows fast. (from Hoadley's "Understanding Wood")
> 
> In East Texas we have a mix of Pine and hardwood forests. The soil is very acidic and the Oaks grow fine here. West of here where the soil becomes more alkaline, the Pines peter out and the Oaks are mostly scrubby Live Oaks.


Indeed, but we do have lots of mesquite!


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

Horatio said:


> Indeed, but we do have lots of mesquite!


I know. Sure wish we had them here.

I'm working a deal now with a friend to furnish me with Mesquite logs. I'll saw them into lumber, keep half and sell half for him. He says he has access to several hundred acres of Mesquite trees
somewhere around Cuero, Tx.


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

I figured out today that the two trees are white oak and red oak. Across the yard there is another red oak maybe 40 yards away.


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## Horatio (Apr 4, 2012)

ETWW said:


> I know. Sure wish we had them here.
> 
> I'm working a deal now with a friend to furnish me with Mesquite logs. I'll saw them into lumber, keep half and sell half for him. He says he has access to several hundred acres of Mesquite trees
> somewhere around Cuero, Tx.


I've got two chunks of land, one big one with a little mesquite and tons of cedar/oak and a small piece with alot of mesquite. I've milled some with the little CSM I bought and about half way through my first attempt with a coffee table.


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