Mother Nature was having a temper tantrum

[Timgod]

Over the weekend we had really nasty weather. We were in the 70's and then a cold front crashed into us dropping us into the 30's. I say crashed because as it came through, it caused sustained winds of 60+ mph for almost a full day. It was what moved on to Louisiana, Georgia etc that caused the tornadoes. We fortunately did not have any twisters form but that didn't mean we were in the clear. My greenhouse was redone in November with 6 Mil liner... pretty thick stuff. All PVC connections were glued with PVC cement for long lasting sturdiness....(Not).


Tim

[Timgod]

Remember the pictures I posted last year of an Evergreen Wisteria that grew through an arbor. Well look at what those winds did to it as well. The side that it is leaning away from even has wood buried 18" down as an anchor of sorts. It takes everything I can muster to stand it back straight but it won't stay. I am afraid I might have to cut the arbor out of the wisteria.

Tim

[Timgod]

Any ideas out there on standing it back up????

I know I could put a landscape timber at a 45 degree to prop it up but that would not be a long term fix.

Tim

[miguynmkoi]

I was going to say use wires like the ones for pitching a tent but that isn't permanent.  How's about pouring a cement footing?  That's all I've got.

[croft]

Tim, sorry about your greenhouse and hope you get that beautiful Wisteria back up. I've heard that they are a very tough (strong) vine. I think that long-term you will need a new arbor with a cement footing like myguynmkoi mentioned. Good luck!

[EagleEye]

Wow, crashed is a good word for that for sure. Mother nature is no-one to fool around with, but then again she was the one fooling around, right?
It's always a good lesson in life to understand the power she (notice I said she ) has.

As far as  the arbor, I'd use come alongs and pull it up straight. Maybe you could pound some steel stakes in the ground next to the poles and tie them together. Maybe soak the ground next to the poles and after you get it upright, pound the earth back in place on the leaward side of the poles.
Good luck!
I sure wouldn't take it down. That's a beauty.

Steve

[Timgod]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Hopefully when I have some time I can try and implement a fix.

Tim

[happyoutsidegirl]

Sorry Tim about all your hard word getting ripped up and knocked down. I had a wood arbor that had a 20 year old honeysucke totaly in grossed in it and a wind storm took it down. I had a guy make me a new one with rebar and we ceminted it in to the ground deep. I was a job tho getting the vines on it. Honey suckel becomes very brittle with age. Needless tosay it got a a hard hair cut.