Question
My red robin is approx 9ft tall and 7 ft wide and is a beauty. During all the snow, it started to lean forward; at first I thought it was the weight of the snow on the branches but I now think it was the wetness of the soil which allowed the root to shift. When I managed to get behind it, the trunk from the root (approx 7 inches diameter)seems to have a slice in it and it has shifted (if you sit 2 pennies on top of each other and slide the one slightly off the other, this is what it looks like. The soil is drenched but I cant lift it (it crunches if I try). I have taken some of the heavier branches off to try and lighten the load but what should I do now? I dont want to lose it but it is leaning quite far forward now.  I have attached a harness round the main truck and attached it to the fence but not sure if this will hold in strong winds. Shall I dig round it and replace the soil with dry soil? It still looks very healthy and is sprouting many new buds.

Answer
Hello Sam

I think this problem has been caused by a combination of wind, rain and snow!!  It sounds pretty serious and the plant may be difficult to save - but let's give it a go!

You've done the right thing in removing some of the heavier branches.  It might be beneficial to reduce the height of the plant too, by about a third (sounds drastic, I know, but it will make the plant a bit more resistant to the wind).

I don't think replacing the soil is a good idea as the very act of digging out the saturated soil may make the plant more unstable.

I think staking may be the way to go.  You'll need 2 stout supports, about 4 feet long, an equally stout piece of wood to act as a cross-piece and a tree tie - and that harness you're using now (it will need to have fairly long ropes) - and a friend to help.

Attach the cross-piece to the 2 stakes so that you make and H out of them.  The stakes should be about 2 feet apart. Knock the uprights of the H into the ground so that each is about 1 foot either side of the trunk of the plant and about 3-4 inches away from it, in such a position that the wind blows the plant away from the support (to avoid rubbing the bark of the trunk (which would certainly do the plant no good at all).

Place the harness around the trunk at a height roughly opposite the cross-piece - you could place a padding of old sacking round the trunk so that the rope doesn't cut into it.  One end of the rope goes over the cross-piece and the other goes under it.

Now get your helper to start lifting the plant towards the support while you pull (gently) on the ropes, until the plant is as upright as you can make it, without the stem cracking any more.

Tie the ropes off around the cross-piece.

Get your feet under the plant and firm down the earth all round the plant with your heel.

Cut back any over long or heavy branches.

You will have to tighten up the ropes every 2-3 weeks until the plant is fully upright.

When the plant is completely upright, swap the home-made harness for a proper tree tie as they are especially designed the hold the plant firmly to the support without chafing the bark.

I can't promise this will save the plant, but it is worth a try - good luck.

Gill