Oh, I feel so bad!

Lol, I've been eyeing all my trees the same way, wondering if I should get out there with the saw.

LOL. Oops, Rachie . . . I wasn't even going there. Funny, though. ;-)

It just seems that mother nature doesn't avoid the sharp angles. And as they grow, they grow up, which creates more sharp angles. Doesn't seem like we have much control over that . . .

I think the problem is these "crotches" are only 18" up from the soil and are almost a foot in diameter now. Add the situation of heavy rain and high wind from just the right direction with the leaves still on SNAP! I got a reply from Nolan Rundquist the Seattle City Arborist and he give the tree a 50/50 chance of making it. Honestly, when I bought the house my instincts told me they were a potential problem. Here's a smaller broken branch from last years storm. Much smaller of course. The branch on the left is the one that went this year and I'm still very concerned about the one on the right.

Being fairly new to tree planting, I had previously thought that trees and shrubs just knew how to grow naturally on their own. This year I have been discovering that the ones I planted a few years ago are needing help (except for the Western Red Cedar which really does take care of itself). It sure is tougher to figure out what to prune out and what to leave than I thought, but obviously can be really important to the tree later on in the event of a wind storm. Katy, I sincerely hope your tree is in the positive 50 % of those statistics.
I was looking at Great Plant Picks for the PNW, and saw the Chinese Red Birch on the tree list. Not only that, it is adaptable to winter wet and summer dry conditions like we have. Your pictures, Laurie, have convinced me I must look for this tree. I hope it does OK in clay soils too. If it does, I definitely need one!

Wow, I was wondering how your tree is fairing, I too hope you are in the 50% to stay living, it is such a beautiful tree!

Katy - I'm impressed that Nolan Rundquist got back to you. That's great - though 50/50 odds seemed to be what you were getting from DGers anyway.

It makes sense that the lower the crotch is, the more dangerous, as there's more tree above to support. But, for instance, the vine maples and dogwoods, and cherries and plums that I see in yards in my neighborhood all have that. Some were clearly determined by nurseries before the plants were purchased and put in, I'm sure.

So, I guess for me, it's still not clear how to avoid that completely.

Mauryhill - My brother always laughs that pruning instructions seem to include the statement "find the natural shape of the tree". The reason you're reading the instructions is often because you can't find or don't know what would be the natural shape of the tree. And sometimes the natural shape of the tree isn't what's best for the tree long-term. Wish someone could come up with a little different instruction, like, "balance the tree by leaving alternate branches every several inches," or something. I don't have enough trees to practice and learn on on my own!!

Ahhh, Mauryhill - I can put your mind at rest about clay soil - my red birch is growing in our ickystickygray clay, happy as Larry. So by all means, find that tree!

And Katie, thanks for rewriting the manual - I think you have just given out the instructions that we are all wishing for (except when it comes to bowl pruning fruit trees - why do mine always immediately put up a new leader - straight as an arrow!)

Bring the manual over I need help with the tree My DH did Its alive but looks like Medusa or the twisted sister. Its just bad, and not sure how to fix it. Need to take a pic.

Hope your tree does fine I'll keep my fingers crossed.