pics of topped trees?

[imagineero]

Like most of you out there, I get requests to top trees. 1 in 50 is from some schmuck who really doesn't give a stuff, but mostly they're from well intentioned folks who want to keep their tree but want it to be smaller and have no concept of trees. I manage to get the point across most of the time, but it sure does take some time, and imaginative explaining. The outcome I'm trying to sell is dependant on the species, the site, and what the HO is trying to achieve, but in all cases it results in not topping. Topping is against Australian Standards and you get fined pretty steeply by councils if you get caught doing it here.

I do manage to explain it eventually, but it takes me quite a while, and I can see myself being not quite as passionate about the speech over time. Plus, you have to dumb it down a lot fo the time - apical dominance, epicormic shoots etc etc. I'm thinking of putting together a little flip book with photos. Nothing too fancy, maybe 6-10 pages, full page A4 photos. I'm thinking I can get the speech down to only a minute or two, and the photos will probably have more impact than talking does.

Now comes the tricky bit - getting the photos. In fantasy land, I'd have a time lapse progression of the one tree. In its natural form, then topped, then starting to send out epicormic from the top, then all the branches starting to turn at right angles, then all the branches on the whole tree growing vertically looking like a hat rack, and finally something drastic like one of the main sections breaking off and falling on a house. Since I don't have any pics like that, and it would take some time and luck to get them, I'm scrounging. I'd be happy to put this thing together into a PDF that anyone can print and carry round to show customers. Anyone got ideas on where to get pics, or maybe have some of their own they wouldn't mind sharing? Hopefully something pretty high res.

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[treeseer]

better to show what could be done, not what should not be done.

u saw this in aussie arborage? trees are in maleny.

MIKE O’RYZA AND THE VEXING VIEW
After visiting Parramatta, my associate Perry Enkema and I journeyed north to the hinterlands of Queensland, to work some cases with an associate, Cal Modulin. We followed his directions to a cabin on a hilltop, and pulled into the driveway. Perry unloaded our diagnostic gear while I reconnoitered the site. I wondered how Cal got us such a great place to work from without any mention of money, but the sound of wheels crunching on the gravel driveway ended that speculation. I half-jogged back around the cabin, eagerly expecting to see Cal’s jeep pulling in, but instead it was a glossy new cobalt blue sedan.
A well-dressed gentleman, Japanese in appearance, slid out of the back seat as his crisply-uniformed driver held the door open. Perry ’s eyes bugged out as he rushed to stuff our ropes into a crate. I tugged the wrinkles out of my field coat and took off my hat as I walked up to meet the gent. “ Michael O’Ryza, at your service.” I greeted him with a soft bow. “We are here to investigate some of the local trees.”
“And I am Suzichi, owner of this property, and I am here to show you the first trees to investigate” the gent bowed quickly, his face betraying tension beneath its placid exterior. “My honored parents will be visiting later this year, and staying in this cabin. Our ancestral home is on the ocean, so they are most accustomed to the calming view of blue water. My motherdelights in wildlife, and the sight of birds large and small. My father is keenly aware of the auras around all plants, and expects our valuable trees to receive the highest standard of care.”
“Your parents sound most wise” I replied. “If there is anything we can do to prepare your property for their arrival, we would be most willing to help.”
“Our problem is vexing, and most perplexing. That is why Mr. Modulin recommended your involvement. Observe the view to the valley below.” I turned to look downward, and saw the problem straight away.


An Araucaria cunninghamii, the hoop pine, thrust its way into our view of the left side of a long lake. To its right, the round crown of a eucalypt obscured the azure surface. “A local tree man, Louie DaLopurre, advocates the historical practice of cutting the trees where a man can easily reach with a chainsaw. They regularly return to repeat the process, as nothing can restrain rampant regrowth in our rainforest region. My father might disapprove, and deny us family funds to purchase adjacent property. If you can find a way to meet my honored parents’ needs, the cabin is yours for the month.”
I nodded agreement. “Since that historical practice evolved, the technology of tree climbing, and tree care, has advanced. We will inspect the trees closely, and give our report to you tomorrow.” Suzichi bowed and slid back into the car. I thought I saw his chauffeur smirk over his shoulder as he drove off, but I paid him no mind. Perry grabbed the gear and we took off down the hill.
“Golly Mike, we’re stuck” he said, shaking his head. “We’re almost out of money, and look at these mature pines over there: they don’t round over into a decurrent form until they reach 20 meters (66 feet) or so. That one blocking the view is young—if it gets cut, it’ll sprout like crazy.”

“So it might seem” I replied, studying the regular whorls of branches on the pagoda-like structure. “The distance between whorls decreases with height. I wonder…” We both turned our heads at the sound of a vehicle, and jumped out of the way as Cal’s jeep skidded to a stop.
“G’day, mates!” his voice rang as he hopped out and strode over, pumping Perry’s hand so hard the poor lad grinned with gritted teeth. I got Cal caught up on our assignment as we studied the eucalypt. “Mmm, that is a bit of a tough one” he mused. “Corymbia intermedia, the pink bloodwood, matures at 30 meters (100 feet), and this one’s barely 20. Looks like the left side got hammered in last year’s storms—that doesn’t help anything. The harder they’re lopped , the faster they sprout. Shall I ascend to assess additional clues?”

Perry and Cal chatted away as they set their ropes, clinked their carabiners, and ascended. I contemplated the condition of the crown. Multiple upright leaders close together indicated regrowth from old damage. They were at the same height low in the crown, so the older damage was by saw, not by storm. To the left, the broken branches still had leaves attached, a sign that damage was done the previous summer.
I zoomed in with my camera, and saw the strongest sprouts clustered at nodes, near old branch scars. I scanned upward toward Perry’s tie-in point, and saw a bright flash of color. Don’t make any sudden moves, Perry” I called up quietly. “You’ve got visitors—grab your camera.” Perry smoothly unsnapped his shirt pocket, wrapped the camera cord around his wrist, and got off several shots of the rainbow lorikeets.

“Ah, they’re lovebirds, they are—typically travel in mated pairs.” Cal called down after the blue-headed duo flew off. “Their body language was like the tree’s: a positive response. One kept bobbing up and down-- probably the male, hoping to get lucky. August is spring, after all.” Both his bare hands wrapped around a branch. “Callus is strongly squeezing long-dead branches to shed them. That Wall 4 shows good resistance to decay. Sprouting response to exposure from that storm damage is at optimal locations for harvesting sunlight. Overall structure seems sound, but no lower laterals on these elongated upright limbs that emerge at the top. There is new growth all around the sunny parts of the crown.”
{Below the storm damage, sprouts emerge from buds at nodes, old branch wounds. The interior sprouts to the left withered, dried and died. The sprouts on the right used sunlight to build a buttress at the base of the burgeoning buds.}
“Good job, Cal.” I called up. “Perry, take some panoramic pictures of the property, then let’s wrap it up.” I circled the tree, hunting for hints to help hatch a plan that would earn us a free month’s rent. Visualizing the lorikeet bobbing up and down, I realized the bird knew the answer before I did.
What did their feathered friend tell our team? Turn to page gazillionty-eleven

 

[sgreanbeans]

I think its the same everywhere. I was surprised to find that topping is just as bad here as it is at home, maybe worse. Here, they have all kinds of excuses of why it is OK, but its all BS to me. We were even doing it when I started, but that has stopped! I think you have a good idea, it would be cool to have a time lapse deal that shows what happens when they do it. Once a tree is topped here, it is common practice, the next time around, to "prune to old cuts". We have stopped doing that and I have been trying to teach the guys on restorations. They have been doing it so wrong, for so long...........they think its right.

 

[beastmaster]

I drive thou this up scale area several times a week. There are so many mangled trees that I believe the people who live there think that is what a trimmed tree should like like. I'll start snapping some photos, it won't be long they'll be full of sprouts, by April they'll be bushy and over grown. A time lapse of only a few months.
I always tease the crew when we drive by one and ask, which one of you been doing side jobs?
I wish I snapped some photos of this pine I removed last week. Someone had cut it into a ball shape by making big heading cuts. Most the branches died back to the trunk. Even for a hack it was bad, though they did get the ball shape down good.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I drive thou this up scale area several times a week. There are so many mangled trees that I believe the people who live there think that is what a trimmed tree should like like. I'll start snapping some photos, it won't be long they'll be full of sprouts, by April they'll be bushy and over grown. A time lapse of only a few months.
I always tease the crew when we drive by one and ask, which one of you been doing side jobs?
I wish I snapped some photos of this pine I removed last week. Someone had cut it into a ball shape by making big heading cuts. Most the branches died back to the trunk. Even for a hack it was bad, though they did get the ball shape down good.

Some of the cheaper minded HOA and property managers find it cheaper to let the landscapers do it.
Jeff

 

[treemandan]

Here is an arb I have bushwacked a time or two, its about 15 years old. And in the center by the green beer bottle is a ornamental pear ( not a bradford, I forget what) which is about 8. I am about to take a 1 inch drill bit to that SOB.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Here is an arb I have bushwacked a time or two, its about 15 years old. And in the center by the green beer bottle is a ornamental pear ( not a bradford, I forget what) which is about 8. I am about to take a 1 inch drill bit to that SOB.

Nice pic.
Looks like you stand at the bottom step and pee on your grass,,,,:msp_biggrin:
Jeff

 

[treemandan]

here is a row a bradfords I hacked the #### out of about 2 years ago. They now have about 2 feet of new growth and look nice in season. I'll probably be whacking on them for awhile until the client finally wants me to take them down. These are probably the only tree I will give a complete topping to, maybe a mullberry in the right situation, maybe an apple too.

 

[jefflovstrom]

here is a row a bradfords I hacked the #### out of about 2 years ago. They now have about 2 feet of new growth and look nice in season. I'll probably be whacking on them for awhile until the client finally wants me to take them down. These are probably the only tree I will give a complete topping to, maybe a mullberry in the right situation, maybe an apple too.

Looks nice! You could be a landscaper!
Jeff

 

[treemandan]

Nice pic.
Looks like you stand at the bottom step and pee on your grass,,,,:msp_biggrin:
Jeff

That was from when I re-did the deck, re-graded a little and brought in some rock. I dunno, started simple then turned into a big mess.


And you can see the willow I have layed into. It,too, is about 10 years old.

 

[treemandan]

Looks nice! You could be a landscaper!
Jeff

Gee! You really think so!?:msp_w00t:

 

[treeclimber101]

That was from when I re-did the deck, re-graded a little and brought in some rock. I dunno, started simple then turned into a big mess.


And you can see the willow I have layed into. It,too, is about 10 years old.

I try not to ever say this to another man , but hey you got a nice deck !

 

[treemandan]

I try not to ever say this to another man , but hey you got a nice deck !

I probably shouldn't say this either but there is a bong shelter under it. My little hole away from home.


And right about now there are 15,000 Certified Arborist having coronary infarctions, they are probably trying to find someone to call so they can report me all because I beat up a couple bradford pears. Well, in my defense, let me just say I'LL DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT. What they don't realize is that those bradfords were made to be topped. Its just that simple.

 

[treemandan]

Here is some reduction work I did a few years back on the sub-contract. They wanted me to lay into these maples but I didn't have the heart.

 

[treemandan]

This one was allready cornholed before I ever seent it. I just cut out the nasty rotten stuff that was about to fall... or did I?

 

[gtrees]

I probably shouldn't say this either but there is a bong shelter under it. My little hole away from home.


And right about now there are 15,000 Certified Arborist having coronary infarctions, they are probably trying to find someone to call so they can report me all because I beat up a couple bradford pears. Well, in my defense, let me just say I'LL DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT. What they don't realize is that those bradfords were made to be topped. Its just that simple.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[bushwacker101]

here's some nice trees theyll look great next year!!!

Driving around and come across these.:msp_scared: View attachment 272947