Cutting down maple tree next to the house

[Raddad]

This tree was 15 feet from my house 20 feet from my garage and wires plus the large branch overhanging the house was looking sick. The number of leaves had been declining and some of the smaller branches were dying.

I started by removing as much weight on the house and garage side by cutting all the branches I could reach with a 28 foot ladder. I then put chains and cable as high as I could get in the tree connected to my B7610. The tree was 75 feet tall so I used every chain I have. I then cut the birds mouth on the side I needed the tree to fall to. Then I made the money cut even with the birdsmouth while my trusty Son in Law pulled with the tractor. As soon as it started to move I backed off and down it went. Now the work starts, renting the chipper and cutting all the fire wood. Using the FEL sure helps move all that wood. It is invaluable moving the logs that are 3 feet thick. At 80#s per cubic foot some weigh 500#s. You can see the rotten center of the branch that was overhanging the house.

Pay attention to the health of the trees near buildings and wires. I saved myself from a potential disaster.

 

[Thomas]

Morning Raddad.
You got a good start on next years wood supply once you got it cut and split also stack...by the looks of the tree couple good fel loads should fill in the compress areas...agree about the fel,for its almost better than a third hand also save on the back and legs.

 

[Egon]

I would think you have some "Furniture to be assembled" there!

 

[QueBota]

Any before picks showing the standing tree in relationship to the house and garage?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[ovrszd]

Unless you just wanted rid of the tree, you had many years to go before this tree was a danger. Maples will become completely hollow with only a thin ring of limb inside the bark before they break off. This tree was cut in it's prime. I hate cutting them when they are hollow clear down to the stump. They don't respond to normal cutting technigues. I'll bet it feels bare in that part of the yard now!!!

To give you an idea of what you have lost, the small tree on the left in this picture is a maple I planted when my grandson was born. He's fifteen now.

 

[Bo McCarty]

I feel for you and the upcoming stump removal. Maple is so hard!! My brother just cut and cut and cut and cut some more of a stump, not nearly this size of yours, out of the ground.

After several hours he decided that he shoulda 1. let the backhoe hit the water line and repair it, or he 2. shoulda rented that stump grinder for a day and he'd been done a lot faster.

 

[Raddad]

I always feel bad about cutting down a tree but when you can tell it's diseased and leaning over your house the smart thing is to cut it down.

In the 30 years I have owned this 180 year old farmhouse I have planted over 300 trees consisting of 40 different spieces. You can see in the attached photos some of them are 16 inches thick and 50 feet high. I wanted to insure that my little forest would survive any blight like Dutch elm disease or the emerald ash borer so I diversified my plantings. It turned out to be a prudent move since I have lost all but 4 of my Scotch pine in the last few years. Two years ago I lost all 4 of my ash trees. Every year a few die off. This year I lost a scotch pine, norway spruce and two white pine. I just planted two flowering cherry and 10 Fraser fir this fall. I will do another planting this spring. I fertilize twice a year and have watered during a drought we had a few years back. Other than that plant them and mulch. The county soil conservation district sells trees twice a year and I purchase them at a very low cost and so I usualy plant when they sell their trees. About $00.25 each the last time. Some of the more unusual spieces I have ordered over the internet and have paid as much as $5.00 each.

Trees
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer

Enjoy your Grandson's tree.

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

In the 30 years I have owned this 180 year old farmhouse I have planted over 300 trees consisting of 40 different spieces.

That's grand! Your photos sure reflect the results of your efforts. One of the main reasons we bought our place is we wanted to be surrounded by trees. According to the forest ranger who came out one time, we only have about 29 species though. Nevertheless, we sure enjoy life living in a small clearing in our 55 acres of woods.

Mike

 

[Raddad]

Post a picture of you place and your trees.

 

[ovrszd]

We own 150 acres of which 70 is old oak timber with a sprinkling of Hickory, Ash and Walnut. We only cut trees that are dying or injured by storms. When I was a child we cut trees in this timber for lumber and firewood. I can remember specific stumps and watching my Dad work an old Strunk chainsaw to fall a huge oak for a log. I cherish this timber and so do my Sons and Grandkids. We spend many weekends in that timber. Now I'm in Iraq where there are no trees. Oh how I miss the sight, sounds and smell of a timber. I too have planted hundreds of trees around my house with marginal success. A guy told me once that if you transplant a tree you need to mark it before you dig it up so that when you replant it the tree is oriented to direction as it was originally. Anyone know if that's true??