Is this proper trimming?

[Creeker]

Thank for the PM treesmith, understand the Arb. approach, looking at what is left in the pics and
imagining the "before" does anyone think, on the first visit to this work site, that you could have achieved the outcomes requested by the customer. ?

I'm asking this as I do a little tree work, from the ground only, and pass off anything larger to a tree
contractor I work in with. I'm really wondering if the trees in the OP could have been successfully height reduced
to the speci's of the customer.

I hate to get "hack" requests and often try to point out target cut preferences to customers who self prune
small shrubs that I can see they do themselves.

Also occasionally talk customers out of tree removals when they don't really have an understanding of the
request and the trees future lifespan in the particular location. Why cut down a healthy well sited tree that
has years ahead of it !

 

[ATH]

On those trees I'd ask "what is the problem with the height of the trees?". There is no overhead obstruction. Having shorter bushy trees isn't going to make them less messy...what happened there is going to make more of a mess in a few years that if they did nothing... But we don't even know if "mess reduction" was the goal.

 

[treesmith]

It would be interesting to know what the client wanted and what the tree worker said.

How many times have we all heard "my trees are getting big" well, yeah, they're trees, that's kinda what trees do. 7 times out of 10 their "enormous" tree is 30'-60' tall and in near perfect health, who here has told a client that their tree doesn't need any work done and walked away from a paycheck?

My wife works at a council in ops, one part is taking work requests from residents to forward on to the arborists for site visits, most of it is complete nonsense, "can you remove this mature evergreen gum tree, the leaves drop in my garden/birds land in it and sing happily/it has branches" that sort of stuff, generally people are pretty ignorant about trees, thats where we come in.
As arborists its our job to inform the public about the whys and hows, best practice, tree health, what is likely to be needed in the future, we are supposed to care and not just offer a blanket pruning policy to drum up regular work.

I guess it comes down to honesty, professionalism and ethics.

Nothing pisses me off more than "professionals" who regularly milk people for money, ie physios, chiropractors, tree cutters, you all know what I mean, they don't want to fix the problem, no, they like the problem, they just want you come back and keep giving them money to pay for that ******* Porsche outside....

Prime example is my mother in law, pretty healthy but has problems with mobility, she saw a doctor and in Oz the healthcare system is all about money, so doctor drums up work for a specialist as he's getting a bump fee. The specialist's professional assessment is to strongly push her towards surgery and at least one new hip, on a 70+ yr old lady.
MIL sees my physio and 2 hours/$180 later with instructions to swim and walk barefoot a little every day is pretty much fixed.... there's absolutely nothing wrong with her hip....

Ethics


Now why should it take me 15+years to find an ethical physio?

 

[Zale]

Is the client happy? If so, it's a great job. Think about the amount of pruning these trees will require in the future. Someone is going to be very busy. If you have been in this business long enough, you've done this type of work. It ain't pretty but no one said every job is going to be beautiful.
.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Is the client happy? If so, it's a great job. Think about the amount of pruning these trees will require in the future. Someone is going to be very busy. If you have been in this business long enough, you've done this type of work. It ain't pretty but no one said every job is going to be beautiful.
.

$$$$$$$,
Jeff

 

[treesmith]

Makes the world go round for sure

 

[Creeker]

Appreciate the chat gents, thanks.

 

[Ferguson system]

Removal and planting new trees that match the location would have been better in the long run. Had the trees been smaller/younger it could have been ok to reduce the crown (max 20-25%), if done properly.

 

[Creeker]

Removal and planting new trees that match the location would have been better in the long run. Had the trees been smaller/younger it could have been ok to reduce the crown (max 20-25%), if done properly.

That was at the back of my mind Ferg., maybe 20% of them per year to average out the $ cost to customer.

 

[tidy]

Removal and planting new trees that match the location would have been better in the long run. Had the trees been smaller/younger it could have been ok to reduce the crown (max 20-25%), if done properly.

Just like with other posts recommending correct practice/alternatives, that's all well and good but you save time & possibly make more money by just agreeing to what the client requests. Not to say I wont point out that its incorrect but don't waste to much effort on the cause...