Please help with trimming suggestions

[STLfirewood]

The homeowner wanted a big on trimming these trees. The want a hack job done. They want the trees cut back to nubs. The power ompany is going to come through and chop on them soon. They wanted something done before then. Can you guys give me some directions on what I should do. I'll be honest I do mainly removals so this is a little out of my realm. I don't want to do the hack job they want. But they have other people waiting to do it if I can't come up with something. The tree on the left is a soft maple. The other 2 are sweet gums.

Thanks Scott

 

[STLfirewood]

As you can see they have been hacked back before. I think the maple needs to be removed. It has another spot like that on the other side of the trunk. Not as bad but similar.

Scott

 

[fireman]

First of all make sure your 10 ft away from those lines.make sure your insulated if using a bucket.What you can do is raise the canopy all the way around the tree.cut all the branches that r growing towards the lines leave the other branches that r growing straight up or away from the lines alone.make sure when your cutting that the branches dont come close to the lines if you lose a branch and is going for a line let go of it before it hits it or you will get electricuted.rember 10ft distance from lines, lines surge and will arch dont do them with high humidity.If you feel any doubt dont do the job its better to be alive then in a hosp bed or 6 ft under.be safe think straight and stay safe.If the maple has the same thing on the other side it needs to come down it looks like the tree is hollowed in the center and self healed around the outside.

 

[treemandan]

Tough nut to crack there. Got to know what you are doing before you open your mouth to say " I'll do it" and put a price tag on it.
Might be one of those jobs where you say " Whew, thank God it wasn't me" and go do something else.

 

[TexasTreemonkey]

Looked like that maple has been topped before

 

[STLfirewood]

All of those tree have been topped before. That is what they want me to do is cut them back to where they were before. Don't want to be a hack.

Scott

 

[Pete M]

Why? If the power company are coming in anyway to chop them, why not just leave it to them?

 

[STLfirewood]

They want the trees away from the house some also.

 

[pistol pete]

If you have no experience with trimming around power lines I would stay away from them. Let the power company come through, then try to straighten up their work. One little mistake can cost you your life. When I give estimates for trees growing near or through power lines I usually subcontract it, or turn down the work. Tree work is dangerous enough without high voltage to deal with.

 

[Dadatwins]

They have been topped before and doing it again is the wrong thing to do. The general rule of tree pruning is dead branches first, correct any bad stubs left over from previuos pruning, any interfering branches, ie crossing, rubbing ect. and prune back to a lateral anything hitting the house or headed that way. Leave the power work to the power company, they will butcher it enough and you can go back and flush off the stubs they leave.
Print the attachments and give it to your potential customer
, they might learn something about trees.
Good luck.
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/topping.aspx
http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/mature_care.aspx

 

[STLfirewood]

She called me today and said the power company came through. I'll hae to go and look and take some pictures. She said they trimmed them a lot

Scott

 

[STLfirewood]

Here are a couple pics of the trees now. She wants me to come and trim them now and more suggestions. Thanks Scott

 

[Dadatwins]

Check for stubs left from power company and cut them properly. Gum tends to get very tall and lanky and the extra weight of the gumballs can make the branches sometimes break so some reduction pruning on the tall tips might be needed. Cut back to laterals any branches getting near house, remove any deadwood as stated before. Hope this helps.

 

[treeseer]

Check for stubs left from power company and cut them properly. Gum tends to get very tall and lanky and the extra weight of the gumballs can make the branches sometimes break so some reduction pruning on the tall tips might be needed. Cut back to laterals any branches getting near house, remove any deadwood as stated before. Hope this helps.

X2

 

[jefflovstrom]

Why not just remove them. Sounds like a no brainer.
Jeff (now go do the right thing)

 

[ddhlakebound]

We can't see the cuts they made for placement and tearout, but it's looks like the line clearance crew did a great job for what they had to work with.

I don't like the look of the base of the maple, and they don't tolerate hacking at all, so I too am in favor of removal for it.

The sweetgums compartmentalize fairly well in my limited exp, within a couple good trims they could be looking somewhat like unhacked trees again.

If she demands that they all be hacked again, just pass on the job, let her find a hack, and walk away.

 

[AngelofDarkness]

Why not just remove them. Sounds like a no brainer.
Jeff (now go do the right thing)

My thoughts exactly.

www.pavetheplanet.org.

 

[STLfirewood]

I told here she should remove them and replant 2 trees that will stay within the area. She doesn't want to do that because it costs more money.


Scott

 

[Rftreeman]

I told here she should remove them and replant 2 trees that will stay within the area. She doesn't want to do that because it costs more money.


Scott

explain to her that the power company will be there around every 5 to 7 years to do their side and if she has to pay someone to even them out every 5 to 7 years then she'll pay more in the long run vs having them removed and something of an ornamental tree or shrub planted there that the power company and her will not need to mess with for many years.

if you do the job, be careful around those lines, they can kill you, I worked line clearance for 20 years..............