This is the horticultural version of the NFL's "You make the call." These two trees (Q. alba and P. abies) would seem to be growing too closely. While both are very healthy, the spruce is growing rapidly and starting to encroach into the oak's branches. I really don't want to do anything, but I'm afraid both may suffer a bit as they fight for dominance. Feel free to speculate on how they may look in five years.
Did you plant them or did Mother Nature? I have two trees in my yard growing too close together and I tell myself that I will cut one when I see they begin to affect each other adversely. They have been growing together about 5 years. One of mine definitely dominates because it grows faster but my thinking is, that perhaps neither of them will reach full height due to the crowding and so far, Im OK with that. I cant advise you but I can share your plight.chuckle.
I have dozens of trees planted (by me) too closely together. When they're being planted as tiny little runts, the spacing always looks fine. Who knew any of them would grow? I continue to exacerbate the situation by thinking there's always enough room to squeeze in another.
I think you need to decide what you value most. Do you want it to look nice?; in which case, pick which one to sacrifice. (To my wife's chagrin, 'looking nice' has never been a priority in my yard.) Do you want the healthiest environment for your plants?; in which case, sacrifice one. But if you get some sort of amusement seeing the poor fellows duking it out, leave them as they are. I always pick the latter.
It's almost certain that mother nature planted the oak, but the spruce was planted by her late husband. If I make the case that the spruce should come out due to concerns about the oak, she'd be OK with that. The reverse would be a much tougher sell. She does like her oaks and has been known to weep when a mature one dies from wilt, which happens far too often.
That spruce would make a nice wreath, some bunting, and a sconce or two. I see winter 2014 being very festive in the Mr. and Mrs. Pseudo household.
Leave the oak be...
Stand on the oakward side of the spruce, and look vertically upwards. Can you see clear sky, or oak branches? If clear sky, then the spruce won't bump into the oak, and you can keep it.
It's almost certain that mother nature planted the oak, but the spruce was planted by her late husband.
Good one, Resin!
I continue to exacerbate the situation by thinking there's always enough room to squeeze in another.
Nat King Cole sang a song called
Mother Nature and Father Time:
I'm a son of Mother Nature
A son of Father Time
I've got a lot of neighbors in the million stars that shine
And they're all friends of mine
Every robin is my brother
They sing their songs to me
The tiny black-eyed daisies
The Mighty Redwood tree
They're all my friends
I'm away from home the next few days, but I'll take an oakward look at it when I get back.
MLM, I like that. :)
Keep the Oak and a few cuttings of the Spruce (wait till they root) before you hack it down. That way you'll essentially be able to keep them both with little sacrifice.
Well then...root them in very specialized circumstances.
Resin, do you enjoy bursting my horticultural bubbles? How do they clone Spruce cultivars?
Grafting onto some compatible seedling understock...
Oh...
Thanks for the top notch learnin'!
Learnin's good!
Resin, the top 12" or so of the spruce is into the oak's branches. I suspect what will happen is the oak will win the summer sun/shade battle, with the spruce's branching eventually dying off or being so wispy they look as if they're asking to be put out of pain.
I don't think I'll go through the process of grafting, layering, seed collection, asexual reproduction (that doesn't sound fun), or whatever else one can do to make a genetic link to a tree. Mike planted several trees, almost all of which are spruces. He was spruce guy, which ain't a bad thing.
Mr. Valley, thank you for a decisive answer to a debatable question. That is what I am going to do. You even provided some decorating suggestions. :)
