Tree trimming and care question

[Monkeyleg]

I don't know anything about trees, so I have to depend upon pro's to trim them and tell me when something is wrong. That means I usually get ripped off.

Our silver maple in the front yard needs to be trimmed back. The best price I've gotten so far is $425, which is acceptable. The tree guy (I guess I should call him an "arborist," as that's what's on his card) says the tree also needs fertilization, for which he would charge $150.

I seem to recall seeing fertilizer spikes for trees. Is this what the tree needs, or is there something that only pro's can get?

If I seem suspicious of tree professionals, it's because we had a well-known company repair that tree in 2004. They put three bolts through the trunk where it was splitting, and used steel cable in three spots to support some large limbs. Now, not even five years later, the steel cables have unraveled, and need to be replaced. The company wants $200 per cable to fix their work. The whole job in 2004 took less than an hour and cost $700.

[Jeff B.]

In deference to any rules about other sites, I won't post a link, but you can go to "The Dirt Doctor" and you'll find a great deal of information about the care and upkeep of trees.  Trimming back is a vague term.  With trees, you normally want to enhance the natural structure of the tree, pruning out crossing limbs, crowded limbs, etc., if a tree need bolts and cables, the tree is probably past saving, and whatever you put into it is delaying the inevitable.  Proper pruning and trimming takes into account the "growth ring" of each branch and the trunk and allows the tree to heal itself by growing over the wound with its own bark.  If an "arborist" comes near your tree with that black paint stuff, run him off and try again.

I really suggest you do some reading.  I've used commercial guys, but supervised their actions and showed them how I wanted limbs cut.  Properly done, trimming is good for the tree and its appearance.  Getting to "proper" is not really that hard , either.

Good luck,

Jeff B.

[charby]

How old is your Silver Maple?

 

[roo_ster]

Tree trimming costs differ so greatly by location I won't even comment on that extortionate price quote.

"The Dirt Doctor" is an organic freak chock full of some useful and some worthless (but harmless) advice.

In the case of tree trimming, DD is in line with my thoughts, though: minimalist with a mind to tree development.

Some tree types do benefit from mechanical intervention and can be saved that way to live on for decades.  Maples are usually not one of them and are usually not worth going to such expense.

If it were my tree, I would add up all those quotes and look at the sum, which looks to be in the $1200 range.

Get several quotes for removing the tree.  Then, spend the remainder on buying the biggest, baddest quality tree you can find (likely an oak, pecan, hickory, or other hardwood, depending on your location) and have it planted near the now-gone maple or somewhere else it might be better located. 

Honestly, I can no more see spending $1200 on a maple than I could see spending $1200 on a Lorcin .380ACP.


The Big Oak: Largest Live Oak Tree East of the Mississippi

This bad boy has had numerous interventions over hte years:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/17630
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=reH&q=thomasville%20georgia%20%22the%20big%20oak%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

[Jamisjockey]

Link rules?
We're not in competition with anyone around here.  Do not post links to pornographic or malicious sites, or sites advocating illegal activity.  If you post links to sites that aren't PG13 or less (Such as videos with foul language), preface it with a Not Safe For Work tag. 
Otherwise, link away, especially if it's useful to someone's questions.



Trim your own trees.  :-)
I trimmed the one in our lot, cut out the lower branches that were preventing grass from growing under them last fall.  I'd swear the tree shot up a foot or more this spring.

[roo_ster]

Link rules?
We're not in competition with anyone around here.  Do not post links to pornographic or malicious sites, or sites advocating illegal activity.  If you post links to sites that aren't PG13 or less (Such as videos with foul language), preface it with a Not Safe For Work tag. 
Otherwise, link away, especially if it's useful to someone's questions.

Where did this come from?

[makattak]

Where did this come from?

See post #2.

[roo_ster]

See post #2.

D'oh.

RIF. 

Also, I thought that maybe the link to a picture of a tree for me might have transmogrified into an image of a sweaty & pudgy Perez Hilton getting smacked around by photoshopped images of Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin.

GUess not.

[Marnoot]

Also, I thought that maybe the link to a picture of a tree for me might have transmogrified into an image of a sweaty & pudgy Perez Hilton getting smacked around by photoshopped images of Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin.

GUess not.

You sound disappointed. 

[Jamisjockey]

D'oh.

RIF. 

Also, I thought that maybe the link to a picture of a tree for me might have transmogrified into an image of a sweaty & pudgy Perez Hilton getting smacked around by photoshopped images of Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin.

GUess not.

In deference to any rules about other sites, I won't post a link, but you can go to "The Dirt Doctor" and you'll find a great deal of information about the care and upkeep of trees.

What they said, post #2.

[Monkeyleg]

The tree is more than 70 years old. It need to be bolted and cabled because it basically grew into two trees from one trunk. The cables and bolts keep it from splitting.

It's a huge tree, and I don't think it could be replaced with anything of similar size.

Today the company that had done the cable and bolt work stopped out and gave me a quote of $325 to trim the tree. They'll also replace the cables at no cost, which the guy admitted they should have done last year.

We really need every bit of interest in our yard, because our house just looks like a box.

[Lee]

I seem to recall seeing fertilizer spikes for trees. Is this what the tree needs, or is there something that only pro's can get?

Many trees tend to suffer from "urban distress" - lousy soil and airborne pollutants .  Proper fertilization usually requires drilling holes in the soil around the drip line and filling them with granular nutrients.  I did that to an oak at my old house per the advice of a local nursery, and it did wonders for the tree. 

[brimic]

I'd let the pros handle it if you want to keep it. Silvers are notorious for splitting because of their soft wood and tendancy to have a second or more trunks grow out of the main stem.

[seeker_two]

Link rules?
We're not in competition with anyone around here.  Do not post links to pornographic or malicious sites, or sites advocating illegal activity.  If you post links to sites that aren't PG13 or less (Such as videos with foul language), preface it with a Not Safe For Work tag. 
Otherwise, link away, especially if it's useful to someone's questions.

So.....no tree porn, right?..... 

How about these lawnworkers?..... http://www.tigertimelawncare.com/specials.html


Warning....NSFMF....not safe for married folks.... 

[Doggy Daddy]

an image of a sweaty & pudgy Perez Hilton getting smacked around by photoshopped images of Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin.

Link? 

DD

[Hawkmoon]

Silver Maples are overgrown weeds that shed branches if you just walk by them fast. Save the fertilizer and just have the "arborist" cut the thing down. I have four of the [bleep] things in my yard and I loathe them. Had two taken down a couple of years ago, and will have the others removed when I can afford it.

[charby]

The tree is more than 70 years old. It need to be bolted and cabled because it basically grew into two trees from one trunk. The cables and bolts keep it from splitting.

Unfortunately your tree is near the end of its "safe" life, Silver Maples of that age tend to become rotten in the center and fall quite easily during a moderate wind storm.

[brimic]

Silver Maples are overgrown weeds that shed branches if you just walk by them fast. Save the fertilizer and just have the "arborist" cut the thing down. I have four of the [bleep] things in my yard and I loathe them. Had two taken down a couple of years ago, and will have the others removed when I can afford it.

You said exactly what I wanted to say, but I didn't want to hurt Monkeyleg's feelings.

[AJ Dual]

Luckily (If this is the tree I'm thinking of) his house is mostly west of the tree, so unless it's really odd wind-shear during a storm, it'll blow away from the house.

OTOH, It's pretty close to the house so it might do some damage anyway. 

And Dick, I think you underestimate how attractive your house is. At least as compared to mine. 

[ilbob]

trying to keep a big tree going when it is near the end of its life is an expensive proposition.

maples are often more of a problem than other types of trees because they tend to be less strong and have a tendency to split over time.

you can have someone come patch it up every few years and pay for that privilege, or do what you don't want to do and have it cut down.

it may actually cost you more to cut it down than to have it fixed.

if you are planning to move any time soon, get the tree fixed. it will almost certainly take away from the property value if you cut it down.

[roo_ster]

Somebody has to say it:
Nuke it from orbit, its the only way to be sure...

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Somebody has to say it:
Nuke it from orbit, its the only way to be sure...

Or:
Format Tree:
Install ubuntu
Profit!

[Harold Tuttle]

I wonder if there is a business to be had offering arbhorist services by hairy middle aged guys in Zardoz suits

[41magsnub]

I wonder if there is a business to be had offering arbhorist services by hairy middle aged guys in Zardoz suits

Dunno, but locally there are three ex-cons whose business is named "The Tree Amigos" that are the best tree guys in town!

[charby]

I wonder if there is a business to be had offering arbhorist services by hairy middle aged guys in Zardoz suits

Penis is evil, chainsaw is good.