If Your Gonna Plant a Tree (THINK AHEAD!)

[PineFever]

Had a job yesterday where the home owner decided he would plant a tree to celebrate the purchase of his new home. Well that was thirty five years ago.
I tried to get him to let me remove the entire stump too, but I guess the three bills I charged him for the takedown was enough. There is way too many folks out there who just don't take into consideration that planting trees too close to the house just isn't a good practice, (Good deal for me though). The tree was 5 gallon size purchased at some nursery in Los Angeles. He said for the last couple of years whenever the stairs iced up they had a hard time getting in or out of the house.

 

[treeman75]

Did you top that little tree too?:chainsawguy:

 

[Labman]

I questioned a landscaper about planting a white pine close to a house. He said people redo landscaping every 5 years.

 

[PineFever]

Did you top that little tree too?:chainsawguy:

No Toppin Jus Droppin

 

[treemandan]

I questioned a landscaper about planting a white pine close to a house. He said people redo landscaping every 5 years.

Well he sure was wrong. That's why you don't ask landscrapers anything.

 

[turnkey4099]

Cost me $850 last year to remove one from my backyard. I planted that back around 1985. Knew for years it had to come out and had I done it back then I couild have done it. Already removed 4 or 5 trees that I planted and a whole bunch the prior owners planted - his were more "junk" trees than planted in the wrong spot though.

Harry K

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Well he sure was wrong. That's why you don't ask landscrapers anything.

I know the owner of a garden center / LS install company, he has clients who treat certain areas as if they are rooms of the house that are redecorated on a 5yr schedule. He has one lady who wants a specimen quality 'Fat Albert' spruce in a given location, so for the past 30 years or so he has installed, removed and resold these trees.

My regular, ironic responce to the rhetorical question "why did the previous owners plant something so big so close to the house ?"... "it was so cute when it was small!"

 

[TN_WOOD]

1st picture.
Looks like you'll get more work from him in a few years with that other tree between the houses.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Well he sure was wrong. That's why you don't ask landscrapers anything.

I'm a landscape contractor.

And I doubt you are more qualified than I am.

It's probably best said not to ask people about trees, who don't know about trees.

This pine reminds me of a white pine nearby where I was providing an estimate last week. Planted about 3 feet from the house. They were not even paying attention to its rate of growth.

Even a homeowner who does not understand trees, should be able to realize how much a tree has grown in ten years.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Even a homeowner who does not understand trees, should be able to realize how much a tree has grown in ten years.

I will always add things on to bids and consults if I see them. Often I will point out a tree, show the terminal growth and ask them where they think the edge of the tree will be in 10, 15, 30 years.