Re-Tiring the Tire Swing - My Tree is Rotting From the Inside

Many years ago I posted about my "Tired" swing hanging from my back tree. Here is a post about that. A few years back, I posted about pruning the big tree as I was worried about it hanging over the house. Here is a post about that.

This week, I was out pruning the lower branches of the tree and I noticed that the tree bark was coming off one of the branches in the center of the tree, I pulled off the bark and was shocked to see that the center of the branch was completely rotted. 

I pulled out much of the rot just to see how deep it was and couldn't believe that the branch has any living branches on it at all with how much rot there is in the center of the tree. 

I knew that the rope swing was in rough shape and I have been nursing it for years. I have repaired it but for some reason, big kids want to stand on it rather than swing so they put their feet on either side of a rope and even if it can withstand one, for some reason, two always get on it and then at that point, the rope pulls through. I had thought of several ways to fix the problem and got a new tire to put up a new one.

This week I realized that if a child or two got on a swing on that big branch, the weight of the kids could split that entire branch away from the center of the tree and come down on the kids. I am sad about losing the shade from the tree but I think I can't leave it as it is. I may just cut it back tons and guide new branches where I want them and take down the bulk of the tree as it isn't healthy as it is. 

It will be expensive to get that major branch cut off as it is so thick around that a regular chainsaw wouldn't be big enough to get through that large of a branch. I don't want a large expense currently but may see if someone would come and take it down just for the wood. It hasn't grown high enough that you would need a bucket truck since I pruned it a few years back.

Yards take so much work, and I have lots of fruit that is ripe currently, so I have been busy drying plums and have given out at least 25 bags of plums or more and still have enough to stick in my fridge to enjoy for the next few weeks. 

I shared with neighbors and one came to get more today and another man I gave two bags to last week told me they are the best plums he has ever had. My dear friend Deanna told me she "couldn't stop eating them, they were "that" good." I do have sweet and wonderful fruit and I believe part of it is that my trees get lots of attention from me and I keep them short and pruned yearly so the energy of the tree can go into the fruit. 

That's just my take on it, but I have heard that my nectarines are the best people have ever tasted, my apples are the best they have ever tasted and now my plum has gotten the comment that they are the best they have ever tasted, so I must be doing something right! 

Now if I can just get a shade tree to be in good shape, I will be doing alright! Have a Blessed Day!