Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . .

   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #1  

beowulf

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Central California Foothills
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Unfortunately, I have had to learn this lesson the hard way - be careful where you decide to plant trees. We used to buy live xmas trees and then plant them after the holidays. We did not think much about where we planted them. Now decades later I am finding a need to remove them - four so far - each between 50-60 feet high, and more I will need to trim. I am not even sure how I am going to handle some of this.

Two were removed because they blocked views we once enjoyed, and two more because they were too near the house - a risk of damage in a storm, or if a fire. A huge amount of work to do this. Years ago I also had to remove about 5-6 other large trees but those were not ones that I planted.

Anyway, as my daughter and son-in-law are planning their home building on a hilltop on our property, I shared my advice to take great care in their landscaping choices - trees you plant will become huge with unwanted consequences. I could have done so much better had I been a bit smarter and planted those trees elsewhere on the property.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #2  
We never planted anything too close to the house or outbuildings. However - I do wish I would have taken down a couple really big Ponderosa pines before the house was built. They are approximately 50 feet from the house. But being 100+ feet tall they could present a problem.

Live and learn.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #3  
I made the same mistake when I bought this place...approx an acre with a small house. Planted 20 odd spruce, 10 black walnut, 8 shademaster locust (thornless), a couple birch and several fruit trees... I have so far removed and pay to have removed 8. The Black Walnuts were the worst mistake, very poor choice for a small lot. The spruce were for noise and wind screen. I'm right next to a major state highway. They do cut the noise down a bet but not as much as I hoped.

The next people why buy this will probably remove all the BW but they will at least be passable firewood size and maybe all the spruce.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #4  
My property was going to be a x-mas tree farm (previous owner) and the property was 60% evergreens. The trees were on a 7 foot grid so it was quite thick. I got rid of most of them around the house and the others got big. The Scotch pine were dying and the Blue Spruce had needlecast. I had a tree removal company come in and cut/chip the two types of trees (1800) and it really opened the view up. I still have row sections of nice healthy trees that the critters still enjoy. We had 2 fawns this year.
 
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   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #5  
Yeah, if I had known 40 years ago what I do today, I would be at least $5000 richer by saving all of the tree work...and it's not over yet.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #6  
Yeah, I know that problem to as I'll have to deal with some similar sort of things as a result of previous owners (haven't planted any replacements on my current property just yet).

Have already taken out one 18-ish diameter oak because it was starting to rot and be overshadowed by a pair of larger oaks. Have another 16-ish inch diameter one that I'll likely need to drop sometime soon as well.

....though there's a couple I think I'll probably end up leaving for the future owners unless they become a more serious problem. A couple of the oak trees on the property have gotten to be 30+ inches in diameter (one is getting close to 3.5 to 4 ft in diameter) and are way too close for to the house for my preference for the long term.

It's made me realize that (in some ways) trees are rather like exotic pets in that most people don't consider how big they'll get and what attention they'll need (or dangers they'll pose) when they mature to full size.....

So as much as I love having trees in the yard, I'd rather not plant any tree closer to a structure than the tree's expected mature height (particularly when it comes to inhabited structures). While a person can get away with planting them closer, it makes me rather uncomfortable especially in a region where tornadoes (or other storms) routinely bring trees crashing down.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #7  
Yeah, if I had known 40 years ago what I do today, I would be at least $5000 richer by saving all of the tree work...and it's not over yet.
I could have saved $23k by using a hand pruning saw 26 years ago too. Too bad they don't sell crystal balls on ebay.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #8  
The new tree might cost $50 - $200.

Taking it out 20 years later can cost $1,500 - $2000

And people make the mistake of planting "fast-growing'' trees which, many times aren't nearly as attractive.

Anymore, if I can't eat the fruit it bears, I don't fool with it.

Although there are some seriously beautiful trees that don't bear fruit to consider. I had a Royal Poinciana taken out by Hurricane Charley. She was just coming into her own, too. depressing
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #9  
Little consolation but misery loves company.

I’m glad to have a lot of company in regretting that I failed to take out some trees when they were small.

I see real estate agents constantly extolling the “shady tree covered lots” and trees within a few feet of houses. Some without any easy way to get in there to remove them. It’s almost criminal.
 
   / Well, when you decide to plan(t) trees. . . #10  
The only trees I've removed after having planted them fall under one of two catagories. Fast growing planted at same time near slow growing/long life trees. When perminate tree is large enough to furnish shade,fast growing tree is removed. Then of course some I planted with intent to keep became storm damaged or otherwise made less desirable. I've always marveled at how many land parcels would be without trees had birds not pooped Hackberry seeds from fences and power lines.
 
 
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