Good Morning!

no work this morning other than shuffling some papers then I have to spray a few small trees at a residence with BtK for bruce spanworm. :) 2 consults and an estimate tomorrow, garden cneter on sunday.
 
Today I get to exercise my ability to keep my mouth shut. I just found out that today's job consists of topping a bunch of trees. Not even pollarding, since the instructions are to cut them a foot below where they were topped before.

Days like this I wish I had blank magnetic signs to cover up my name and phone number on my truck. :(
 
Yah good luck with that Brian. People just don't get it, it's like going to the doctor and telling him what to prescribe you.

Today I'm falling some right of way, hopefully I can get it all done today so I can have a day off tomorrow.:|: Either way big money day today for just cutting on the ground.8)
 
squisher said:
Yah good luck with that Brian. People just don't get it, it's like going to the doctor and telling him what to prescribe you.
Click to expand...


I don't think that's quite the appropriate analogy. The other day I topped a huge red oak because it was a heavy headleaner, straight for a house. I was able to talk him out of what HE wanted to do and let ME do what I thought was better. He agreed, and I was able to drop crotch all of upper leads but the central lead was definitely a topping/ heading cut. But when push comes to shove, I'll do whatever the homeowner wants, and I won't lose any sleep over it.
 
IMO re-topping a previously topped tree can reduce the likelihood of failure at the point of topping as you are removing the regrowth which is poorly attached, as long as it is monitored and repeated, its a choice that competes with complete removal.

It might not be pretty but it accomplishes a goal. Retaining the tree for whatever purpose the owner wishes to use it for, IE privacy, shade etc.
 
Ok how about........You don't call an electrician and then tell him how to wire your house, you might tell him features or end goals you're looking for but the doing of it is left up to them. Sort of like a homeowner could have concerns or a certain goal they're trying to acheive with their tree, but the actual best way of doing it should be left up to the professionals.

I'm with Butch though. Money makes the dog talk.8)
 
When topping, it seems that you can do some trimming as well, that at least helps to balance out the "remains", instead of just a decapitation that spells ugly from any angle. It's the little things that show that you care. ;)
 
Some trees take to topping just fine, others don't. Funny thing a company locally that touts their ISA credentials constantly and to me personally have run down other companies for not being ISA cert'd and whatnot just did a big topping job the other day. I lol'd, gots to pay the bills I guess.
 
Yeah, I showed that I cared by cutting 2-3 tops at a time and craning them out with the material handler, setting them down beside the truck with the butts pointing towards the chipper. ;)
They got cut 12" below where they had been previously topped, just like I was instructed. I can't afford to lose any more paying clients right now, and this guy hires me a couple times per week.
 
I have zero issues doing whatever someone wants to with their trees. I'll explain, and share some knowledge but imo they own that tree for better or worse. I've killed thousands of trees, today I killed probably a hundred.
 
When they want me to top I tell them that it will then need to be maintained like Paul says and remove the poorly attached growth every year or two after that. That will talk some people out of it.
 
It's part of the game. And imo it's a viable long term option for certain species that have outgrown poor locations.
 
I normally walk if they insist. Very few people insist after an explanation around here. Sometimes if it's out of the way and they insist i may do it...
 
Ha, naw, it's usually old people with a gnarly silver maple that makes nice shade and they would never live long enough for it to become a hazard. Thats what I tell myself:/:
 
I hate that shit. 80 year old people shouldn't be allowed to arbitrarily remove trees outta some unsubstantiated fear.
 
I hate when people remove real nice trees 6 months after they move in and then move 6 months later. Temporary tenents change decades of growth so they don't have to rake leaves 1 season
 
I find it amusing when people face off the neighbor's tree at the property line and think that now no more leaves are going to come on their side.
 
Or complain about the neighbors tree over the fence making a terrible mess and the have several of the same trees in their own yard
 
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