I'm hesitant to try to give specific advise about what you should use or how you should accomplish the task without lots more info (or actually being there). I don't know if pictures would even be enough to help, but maybe...at least for a start. Otherwise, I'd recommend having an ISA certified arborist come out and take a look.

As for Platipus Anchors, their US office is in Raleigh, NC. If you want to contact them, see the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Platipus Anchors Inc. Contact Page

Also, if you do want us to try to give you more advice, we'll need more detail from you. Like is the tree leaning the wrong direction because the rootball has shifted, because it's growing out from a shaded area, or what? Did you plant the tree? And, we'll probably need to ask you more once we figure out what's going on.

The tree is 2-3 years old, it is about 20 feet tall and the base of the trunk is 17" round and about mid-way it is 15" round.

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this tree is NOT 2 years old .... can you clarify such...

we need a pic.. and some specifics ...

who planted it .. and what do they have to say about the failure of such ...

how big at planting ...

who is it going to fall on ...

soil .. etc ...

frankly.. i dont think it can be done ... you want to turn a 15 to 17 inch tree into a bow.. as in bow and arrow.. and i cant contemplate the engineering nor the physics of the forces involved ...

i even wonder if you could do it with a huge tree spade truck ... and a crane ...

ken

Thanks for the initial feedback. I have attached a url to an album of 3 pictures of the tree in question.

Spoke to my wife and we have had it for 3 years and when we got it from the store it was probably 8ft tall and a really skinny trunk.

The tree is willowy and bends over naturally on it's own while growing, we pruned heavier growth to help take off top weight and as you can see in the pictures, we had it staked, whiched helped some when it was smaller but does nothing now. At one point I had rope pulling it the opposite direction of where it wants to lean. There are no shade issues and the trunk is mostly coming out of the ground straight but then starts curving.

The soil is more clay than anything else. The tree was installed by us and the root ball was placed on a flat surface.

My wife says we should just cut it down and try another tree but I would hate to give up all that growth, the tree is very nice in my opinion. Our concern though is it will end up growing over into our neighbors yard and present a possible safety issue.

Let me know if you need any more information.

Also, anyone have a ball park figure on how much it would cost just to have an arborist look at it?

Here is a link that might be useful: Tree

I'm glad you gave us access to the pictures. They do help in understanding (at least a little better) what's going on.

When I look at your pictures, the things that pop into my mind are...
Why is there black plastic or landscape fabric everywhere? I'd remove that immediately. Whether it's plastic or fabric, it's not serving any purpose, may be harming your tree (and other plants), and looks horrible!
Why are the stakes still on the tree? Fortunately, it doesn't look like they've damaged your tree, but why haven't they been removed. The straps are not doing your tree any favor and may soon become an issue. Trees develop stronger trunks and better root systems when they are not stacked (except maybe for a very short time, just after planting, in certain cases).
I don't understand your concern about the trunk's leaning. Not every tree grow as straight as a telephone pole. Slight leaning, such as is shown in the picture, doesn't increase the chance of a tree falling over. If you really want the canopy more centered over the trunk, some directional pruning could be employed. Unless the pictures are very deceptive, I think you are way way way over-worrying this issue.

The pictures are a little deceptive, the direction it is growing is towards the fence and they way this tree appears to be growing and sagging means that it will be growing over the neighbors fence, I would like to force it to start going to opposite direction.

The torn up weed barrier is due to the dog....that crap will be coming out in the spring when we respruce the yard.

I would remove the stakes and restrains and set it free. Then I would prune off the branches that are going in the 'wrong' direction, aka directional pruning as Brandon said. Saw them off where they begin so you don't leave any stubs. That should do it IMO.
Why wait on removing that ugly plastic? I'd remove that stuff asap, even if I had to wear a headlamp and do it after work in the rain.
Mike

"Saw them off where they begin so you don't leave any stubs."

You do want to cut outside the branch bark ridge/collar. NEVER prune closer to the trunk than that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Proper Branch-Removal Pruning Method

frankly... that is NOTHING like what your words said ... as i read 17 inch DIAMETER trunk.. like everyone in the tree world talks ... your 17 inches circumference... really messed up my mind pic ...

as i look at the tree.. i see it leaned.. and the leader has compensated... and is growing bolt upright.. there is nothing to do.. is that an optical illusion????

and a tree that grows that vigorously does not need those stakes.. w/o even discussing whether they are doing anything.. get rid of them ...

now.. i dont even know the latin name... so i google your common name.. and flip to the images side .. see link .. and i gotta ask .... is this SMALL tree.. with the potential to be a giant.. properly sited in that tiny corner .... i mean really.. its growing what.. 10 feet per year or so ...

sorry.. but wifey MIGHT BE RIGHT... based on the shear potential of this thing ...

but before you go telling her that.. lol.. you could cut it to 3 inches.. and reduce all the resulting sprouts to one.. and renovate it from the ground up.. after all .. it will be 10 feet tall by next year.. with no insult to the roto mass ...

find the latin name.. and find out what its max potential is.. and decide if this is really the tree for your yard..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thanks for the advice guys/gals.

Looking up the Latin name I found an video that makes me realize I should cut this thing down while it's an easy job.

Down it comes!

This post was edited by efface on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 21:51

makes me realize I should cut this thing down while it's an easy job.

==>>> BRILLIANT ... i forgot that variable ... being done with something while all it costs is a little free labor ...

and wifey wins... lol .. which you know understand.. is the right decision.. whether you admit that to her.. is your choice.. lol ..

treat the stump with a stump killer or round up .... applied 100% with an applicator such as is at the link ... return unused killer to the properly labeled container ... its applied to the cambian layer.. which is the green stripe just under the bark.. you do not have to waste product on the whole stump surface ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link