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Will the spruces topple off?
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Posted by
milkyj 6 (
My Page) on
Wed, Apr 18, 12 at 14:15
| Here's the story. It happened just a few weeks after my parents moved in to live with us. My house sits on a corner lot and there are a row of spruce trees between the house and street. The trees are in difference sizes ranging between 25-50 ft. One day when I drive home from work I was horrified to find the lower branches of these spruces are gone. Equipped with a 22 ft ladder, a competent saw, some ropes and determination, my Dad removed all the branches within 18-20 ft from ground. Two of the smaller ones looked really plucked with only the top 1/4 or even less left alone. They now look very much like palm trees which is unbelievably ugly. Putting aside the issue of curb appeal, I now worry about the stability of these trees. In a windy day, I can't help wondering if they are going to fall over to my house. What do you think? What should I do now? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Ug. I feel for you. Far as what to do now, make sure the pruning cuts are proper. Perhaps baby them a little if there is a dry spot over the summer? Not a whole lot you can do. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| not for that reason ... but a pic sure might help ... there is no harm to the root system.. so i dont know why they would become inherently unstable.. for simply limbing them up.. and we are talking wind.. not hurricane.. right.. z6.. is a broad area.. what large city is nearby??? give us some pix ... ken |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Did he give you a reason? I've seen a few people around here that cut there spruces, pines, arbs up 10-15' so they can mow around the base like a deciduous tree. I'm not sure the point behind it... that's what deciduous trees are for. I take it those trees helped with a lot of privacy? Is that a big thing to you? Since privacy is a big issue with me, I would have the trees taken down and replanted. Again, not an easy job and it would be very expensive. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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Ugly as they may be the overall torque moment is decreased so no, the trees are no more prone to toppling over as they were before the massacre.
They are also no more prone to snapping than they were before either. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Dang man, that would really piss me off. Father or no father, no one touches my trees. But then again, my parents are already fairly well versed in that as far as I'm concerned ;) Indeed, what possessed him to go and do that? |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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Yeah, I'm not sure I have enough forgiveness in my heart to deal with such a massacre.
Would love to see before and after pics only because I hope it is not as bad as it sounds.
Much sympathy... |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Thanks to everybody's input. I felt a little better now since the plucked trees seems not an immediate threat to my house. I will take some pics this afternoon. You will be amazed I guarantee that. I am in north Jersey. The reason for this extreme trimming is simple. My Mom decided the tree branches blocked the morning light shine through one window facing east. If not because the ladder not high enough, the trees will probably become totem poles. Let me tell you after this trimming the room does get some sun light in, but just for a little while in the morning. Once the sun is up and move to south, everything is the same. I have to keep telling myself stop pondering about this matter anymore. My parents don't consult me for any drastic action on my house and at one point I learned to stop asking why. It is obvious the trees were planted for privacy reason but I am far beyond concerning about it at this stage. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| OK here it is. Suggestion? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Spruce turned to palm tree
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| The good news is.... they'll be easy to string with holiday lights. Sorry.
Without a before photo for reference it is hard to know, but from my chair right now it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. I think the initial shock must have been extreme, but I also think that in time you will become accustomed to them and not be smacked in the face with them every time you go outside.
Might as well- there's not much else you can do. I understand the challenges of having elderly parents come to live with you- I did it for years.
But I also see nothing wrong with making it clear that your home is your home and that things like this are not to be done without a discussion.
It is about respecting your property- these things are made clear before the first day they move in.
But then your parents, your life.
And your trees, unfortunately. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Sounds like my neighbor. This is a retired couple with nothing else to do but obsessively manicure, mow, whack, and weed the yard. I've decided there is a landscaping aesthetic out there that these people follow and have termed it "golf course landscaping". He also butchers prunes his trees in the most egregious fashion. Limbs up all his spruce trees, tops the birches, etc. Honestly, I think some people need to be whacking or mowing or sawing something or they don't feel "powerful", but that's another discussion. I've posted pictures here before, but will post them again. Betula papyrifera that has been topped - looks like they're growing mohawks.
 Limbed up Picea or Abies, not sure which, because you can't access foliage. This man has removed 50% or maybe more of these trees' foliage.
 Oh and yes, they are more prone to toppling - this one broke after a storm that had only moderate wind and snow -
 |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Those are some brutal pics (especially the birches!!!!), terrene. I don't know if I should thank you for those pics or scold you for not putting a "graphic picture" warning in your subject ;) Must be aggravating having to see that every day... John |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| terrene, the second picture look totally like what I have. My picture doesn't look as bad only because I was not taking the picture from the best angle. Can't believe somebody else do this to their trees too. I thought my parents were special. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| John, it hurts my eyes to look at his trees. I cringe every time he comes out with the saws. There is nothing left to prune, but he manages to find stuff every year. But, what can you do? Amuse myself by taking pictures and posting on the tree forum. Milky, at least your parents had some kind of rationale for cutting the limbs. However, I think I would have a coronary if someone had pruned my tree like that. It's commendable that you have such patience with your father. Not to mention, it is just plain dangerous to get up on ladders, especially prune trees from ladders!! |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Butchers must get angry at all the terrible tree pruners who co-opt their name! After all, butchering is actually a skilled occupation. +oM |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| Shucks, the tree-trimming service for Indianapolis has butchered the trees for years - Some of the trees under power lines are literally painful to look at! What's the use of topping a spruce tree ABOVE the lines? Odd. |
RE: Will the spruces topple off?
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| My dad did the same with the blue spruces, one has put out a few replacements since then but they are short. He isn't feeling so spry anymore so my Norway spruce should be safe. |
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