Help needed sorting out a rampant eucalyptus tree

[jimi43]

Hello fellow woodies.

I have in my garden a lovely eucalyptus tree but I believe it is attempting to repatriate itself via the moon and roots to Australia and recent storms have caused me to have to have something radical done with it really quickly:

During the storm on Boxing Day...a low lying bough bashed a hole in the neighbour's shed roof...we knew it needed trimming back a month before but never got around to doing it until it was too late.

The property next door has a number of workshops and sheds which are being used by the tenant and I received a letter today from the owner of the property expressing serious concerns about any of the larger trunks coming down in future storms and perhaps demolishing these buildings.

It's already going to cost me to fix the Boxing Day damage so I need to take immediate remedial action.

I spoke with Toby (tobytools) and he has made a number of suggestions:



1. fell tree (best option) once done, thats it no more problems,

2.reduce by either 1/2 or 1/3
this would mean you keep the tree and can further enjoy it, down side, it may rot out from the cuts and mean more work needs doing at a later fate.
costs for the depend on the climber

3. just have the branch removed, and any other over hang or potential threats removed, wouldn't cost much at all and is easily done, but this could and would happen again so is just an easy fix.

i would go with no 1 or 2, with no2 if tree dies or starts to rot "a good few years' then just take it down.

I think I might have to go for option 1) but it would be very upset to see such a regal tree disappear from the skyline so if option 2) or any other option which would mean I saved the tree would work that would be preferable.

I know a number of professional tree surgeons frequent this hallowed forum so I would appreciate concrete advice and quotes to do what needs to be done as soon as possible.

If you can do the job and live in the NW Kent area please PM me.

Thanks guys...

Jimi

 

[Zeddedhed]

If its not a difficult one to drop I'll come and do it for you. I'm no pro, but have cut down many beasties bigger than that.
If you're concerned about insurance and the like I'm not your man, but if it's got plenty of space to fall then save yourself the money and let me know.

Pete

 

[jimi43]

If its not a difficult one to drop I'll come and do it for you. I'm no pro, but have cut down many beasties bigger than that.
If you're concerned about insurance and the like I'm not your man, but if it's got plenty of space to fall then save yourself the money and let me know.

Pete

Hi Pete

It's very nice of you to reply so quickly but I think you have hit the nail on the head. Insurance is a key element as far as anything like this is concerned as failure to employ a professional without this cover could save a few quid but end up being hugely expensive if someone gets hurt or worse.

So I have to decline....but thanks for the offer.

Jim

 

[carlb40]

Similar one here Jim with a quote for work

tree-surgeon-needed-rm20-thurrock-t76035.html

 

[jimi43]

Similar one here Jim with a quote for work

tree-surgeon-needed-rm20-thurrock-t76035.html

Thanks for the link Carl (?)

I wouldn't have thought of looking through the General Forum as I thought this was a woodie thing but maybe not.

Apologies to the mods if it's out of place.....

Perhaps me and NS could get a bulk deal!!! :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[No skills]

That's just spooky.

 

[graduate_owner]

I read that eucalyptus trees can just 'shut down' whole branches during periods of drought (yep, like today), and the branches just drop off. This might influence your decision to trim or to completely remove.

K

 

[yetloh]

Jim,

Eucalypts are generally great regenerators so there is a good chance you will not kill it. The chances are that you will get multiple stems sprouting from around the area to which you chop it down. You can cut it low, leave them all and let it develop a more bushy form or reduce the number and have a multi-stem tree. In many cases the juvenile foliage (on young stems) is very attractive and people cut about a third of the stems out every year so as to maintain the foliage in that state - flower arrangers love it - and limit the height. If you cut it so that there is a reasonable trunk left, all of this will happen that much further up and give you more working space around it. Managing the tree in this way will still mean you can enjoy some height (most arefast growers) and ensure that it does not again become a threat to your neighbour's property, although you won't get the same wonderful skyline effect that is such a eucalyptus trademark. The downside is that some work is needed every year.

I have a couple of eucalypts, one growing in poor stoney ground and it bits do often die off, which lends support to what Graduate owner says. Fortunately this particular tree is a small species so the bits are small and not a major problem.

Jim

 

[jimi43]

I read that eucalyptus trees can just 'shut down' whole branches during periods of drought (yep, like today), and the branches just drop off. This might influence your decision to trim or to completely remove.

K

I think they are talking about "Outback" type drought...the way it's going at the moment, if they do cut it down I think I'll build a friggin ARK!!!

Does anyone have experience of this company:

http://www.leafmatters.co.uk/tree-surgery-services.php

I have to move quickly on this, knowing my luck I will end up flattening the entire building cluster..I'm already into one roof replacement! Anyone want to quote (with insurance please!)?

Jimi

 

[jimi43]

Jim,

Eucalypts are generally great regenerators so there is a good chance you will not kill it. The chances are that you will get multiple stems sprouting from around the area to which you chop it down. You can cut it low, leave them all and let it develop a more bushy form or reduce the number and have a multi-stem tree. In many cases the juvenile foliage (on young stems) is very attractive and people cut about a third of the stems out every year so as to maintain the foliage in that state - flower arrangers love it - and limit the height. If you cut it so that there is a reasonable trunk left, all of this will happen that much further up and give you more working space around it. Managing the tree in this way will still mean you can enjoy some height (most are fast growers) and ensure that it does not again become a threat to your neighbour's property, although you won't get the same wonderful skyline effect that is such a eucalyptus trademark. The downside is that some work is needed every year.

I have a couple of eucalypts, one growing in poor stoney ground and it bits do often die off, which lends support to what Graduate owner says. Fortunately this particular tree is a small species so the bits are small and not a major problem.

Jim

This is the way I was leaning (no pun) Jim.

The offending branch is not shown in this picture as it has now been removed but even 3ft logs are REALLY heavy so it needs an expert to get this down safely...even if it's just to trim it back to manageable levels which would be my choice.. I think I may stack the wood on sticks and make a little log cabin out of it!! :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[CHJ]

Sorry to see you have a what may be a costly problem to surmount but I'm afraid that you may also be in for a bit of disillusionment regarding the usefulness of any salvaged wood, I've not come across a bit of UK grown Eucalyptus that has been of any practical use other than for firewood.
I've never managed to dry any without it splitting major league either externally visible, or internal hidden voids.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Jimi,
Wrong side of country for me or I would come and have a look, but doesn't look like more than a days work, maybe a lot less depending on access for chipper etc. As a rough guide expect to pay around £400-500 for a couple of blokes for a day. Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask to see insurance docs, any worthwhile tree surgeon will be happy to provide this.
Rich

 

[No skills]

Jim.

The people I used were very good but might only work in Essex. Won't hurt to give them a ring?

foresterstreeservices.Com

 

[jimi43]

Yeh Chas...I heard this before when I last trimmed it. Still...firewood is fine..I have a log burning fire in the lounge so plenty to stack and dry.

Rich, that is most helpful mate...appreciate the feedback immensely. Pity you're not closer or you would have the job!

Thanks NS...I will try them for a quote if they come across the water.

Cheers and keep the links and hints and offers of quotes coming. I have immense trust of the people I have met here and am happy to pay full price for the work as long as it's safe and the best for the tree.

Jimi

 

[Eric The Viking]

We've had trouble with Eucalyptus.

One in next door's garden caused subsidence. It grew from 30 to +50 ft in ten years. It was felled professionally and I kept a thick slice of the trunk (about ten years ago). It developed shakes very fast and in four years it almost completely rotted away.

The insurers let us keep the little decorative one in our tiny garden. Great for bird feeders, it was about twelve-fifteen feet tall, and I trimmed it aggressively at least once a year. The boughs were always heavy.

In the winter of 2011-12 I came home to find it across the lawn - it had just missed the back of the house. It had rotted very fast at the ground level. I think it was because someone had scuffed the bark (clearing decorative ivy from the garden wall behind it), and this had allowed fungus to get in. The tree itself had no ivy on it - we kept it clear.

As you've found out they're not 'trustworthy' trees, the only predictable thing being that they grow very fast in wet temperate conditions, and take up huge amounts of water. I think that's why the wood is poor and they rot fast. Apparently an Eucalypt shares the honour with the redwood of producing the world's tallest trees. Both grow on temperate coastal planes, the giant Eucalyptus in South Australia. In fact the tallest known specimen is/was an Eucalyptus, except that it had already recently fallen when discovered and measured.

I think you're right to fell it. If it's the same species as the ones we had to deal with, it probably won't regrow. Neither of ours has, although the stumps haven't been treated.

Hope you find a good tree surgeon to do it.

E.

 

[Harbo]

Jimi - not the best firewood - burns very fast with spitting and is known to cause chimney fires!
Use sparingly if you burn it.

My younger daughter, apart from having to chop a big beech tree down at a cost of £1.2k, also had her neighbours fence blown down onto her car (£800 damage) - not covered by neighbours insurance as it's treated as an "Act of God"?

Rod

 

[Myfordman]

I've got 2 neighbours with these weeds in. they grow so fast and are now shading my solar panels.
Each time we have high winds I hope the trees come down but no luck yet.
It seems only a few years without active control, allow these things to get so big that it is then a major problem to deal with them as Jimi is finding.

 

[Richard T]

I wouldn't give a second thought to having the whole thing down Jim. It's not native and it is prone to do exactly what it has done.

Rod is right about it burning quickly but it is certainly worth having as fire wood. I'm sure you know about how badly it cracks when drying - certainly (I've found) not worth trying to save for any other useful purpose.

Why not replace it with something nice like an Oak? A veritable housing estate for all sorts of critters.

 

[No skills]

+1 on what Richard is saying. Mine will be coming down completely and replaced with something native. Probably an oak as the old boy next door has one growing in a pot

 

[jimi43]

In the absence of any quotes from forum members I resorted to the Aboriculture Association this morning and am getting three quotes. All have Indemnity Insurance (check)...all nearby (check) and all will probably cost the earth...but rather safe than sorry.

I had a feeling that the logs from this species would burn with the oil..fast and furious so perhaps not in the lounge then..! Thanks for the warning Rod!

I have now decided to have it removed and chipped completely so that's decided. The added benefit is it gives me a much lower view for the astrophotography!

:mrgreen:

Jimi