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| I have what looks like a 15 ft maple tree in my front yard (newly purchase home built in the 60s). I want to get rid of it and plant something that won't get so big at maturity, but it seems like a shame to cut down a maple tree that looks to be in good shape and well established.
Do people buy large trees to transplant? I see new shopping centers planting huge palm trees, so maybe someone wants a somewhat older maple tree? I might even just give it away if someone is willing to dig it up. |
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| I've had landscapers stop and inquire about a really super dogwood and a magnolia I had. But of course, they thought I was stupid and would sell for a little bit of nothing, and then they no doubt were going to use on a job and charge big $$$. Someone might, but if its something common and not particularly unique don't expect a lot of enthusiasm. You never know, can't hurt to ask. Remember, though, if they bring in big equipment, you're going to have a hole to fill, either make that part of the deal, or see your meager profit go to fill dirt or the new tree. Maybe if you find the right nursery and the right plant, they would do a "trade in" of sorts and take a little of the price of the new tree for the old.
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| The tree might be well established now, but the second its dug up, it loses that quality. If you really don't want it, might as well just cut it down. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 26, 12 at 8:05
| i might bet.. that the liability of bringing a huge tree spade.. would offset much of the profit ... as compared to pulling up to a tree farm .. and them hoiking it up on a truck.. list it on angies list.. or one of those places ... and offer it ... see what comes of it.. but frankly.. i would just get rid of it ... PROPER PLANTING TIME.. for your replacement.. will not be until fall or winter.. depending where you are.. so you have time to work something out ... ken |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 26, 12 at 14:38
| A "well-established" maple that is only 15' tall is NOT a big tree under anyone's definition and I'd suspect at that size we are talking about some sort of Japanese maple. Photos? If so, there might be a significant value attached provided one finds a motivated purchaser and the means to move. Now is not a good time to do so, however. What in the world were you considering that might stay smaller, other than a shrub or perhaps a dwarf conifer? |
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| Poor qual pic posted. I can post a better one tonight. I appreciate all the feedback. Looks like we should wait until Fall to plant a new tree, so maybe we'll sit on this decision for a bit. You can't really see the foliage in that pic, but it's what I would consider a normal maple with large leaves (as compared to Japanese maple). Most likely we'd replace it with a Japanese maple. Good point about liability. There is a sewer pipe that runs somewhat closely to the tree. If it was human power that was digging up the tree, I probably wouldn't be concerned. But, if some bobcat was digging up the tree, I'd be afraid they might hit the sewer line and I might be stuck with fixing the pipe. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 26, 12 at 16:37
| Well.....I guess we have very different opinions on what "well established" means :-) In 'regular' maple terms, that's just a baby (hardly more than a sapling) and is of minimal value. Heck, these are even cheap to buy in the nursery at that size! If you don't want it, chop it down. At that size, most likely not even a very large root system to worry about. |
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| FWIW, I have a four year old red maple that was sent to me as a "free tree" with an order of other trees from Arbor Day Foundation, and it's about as big as that one, and it's in very marginal area of my lot, in hard-packed, new-lot construction backfill. Give mine another season and it'll be the same. Love 'em or hate 'em (I think they are fine out away from anything you value) basic red maples are a dime a dozen. I doubt you could pass it along for the effort of pulling it properly, and it's a bad time to dig up anything in most of the US. I'd remove it and start researching a good replacement for later in the year. Now if it were a popular cultivar of japanese red maple, and it was in the ground five or six years and well cared for, you may have a quick "come 'n get it" sale. They go for a pretty penny I hear :-) |
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| "normal maple" lol... Japanese Maple generally refers to a specific species, Acer palmatum. "normal maple" could be any of a number of American or European maple species. Based on the picture (which is quite poor), I'd guess it might in fact be Acer saccharinum or perhaps Acer x freemanii. If its the former, kill it now! ;) |
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- Posted by franktank232 z5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Jun 27, 12 at 12:38
| I know Sam's Club was selling some trees almost that big for pretty cheap this spring... or maybe it was last...who knows...but I'd chop it and replace it with something you like...unless a friend or neighbor wants to mess with digging it up...if that is the case, do it very early in the spring, as soon as the ground can be worked...or late in the fall... whatever...I hate maples...or most of them, although some are very pretty in fall. |
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| better late than never, here are some better pics! |
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| last pic, i think you folks have a good idea of the height from the original fuzzy pic. Anyways, I guess the verdict is that no one wants this generic, inexpensive maple. I'll chop it down January or so when it starts to rain, so digging out the stump will be easier. We'll replace it with a Japanese maple and wait 10 yrs for it to get to this maple's height. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Mon, Jul 9, 12 at 22:37
| Well, it's a red maple. Are you sure a little blobby thing stuck in the middle of your yard will be more pleasing than a tree which will ultimately provide a canopy over a wide area......a "shade tree"? In my world, Jap. maples are accent pieces, not a part of the skeleton of your yard's landscaping. That's bad landscaping when small, ornamental species are placed all by their lonesome out in the middle of an expanse of lawn. Again....in my world! +oM |
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| Wait, where is ken and where is his post saying its too close to the house and its a maple, so its got two counts against it and should be removed forthwith? ;) |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Jul 10, 12 at 8:33
| OMG!!! .. all i have to do is think it.. and it appears in someone else's post.. lol ... IMHO.. maples present.. over the decades .. a number of problems... especially.. if you want to do any kind of gardening under them.. for the next 20 or 30 years ... keep that in mind ... also.. i am not sure about the structure of this one.. at height ... you might want to replace it .. for a better one regardless ... but if you do.. an extra 10 feet away from the house.. might be better ... ken |
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- Posted by texasredhead z8Texas (My Page) on Tue, Jul 10, 12 at 9:15
| To begin, your maple comes out of the ground like a telephone pole. There's no evidence of a root flare. Ergo, left alone it will eventually die. Second, a Japanese maple like a dogwood, is an understory tree or best planted in shade. Japanese maples will burn up in diredt sun. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Jul 10, 12 at 14:50
| Hmmm....unless one has xray eyes, it is pretty difficult to tell from any of the photos I can see as to how the tree was planted. Looks pretty darn healthy to me, if not as 'well-established' as alleged. And the successful growing of Japanese maples in full sun depends entirely on the variety and the location - many are extremely sun tolerant in a wide range of locations. But to re-address the OP's initial concern, the tree in question is not particularly unique or distinctive or old enough to have any significant value. If you don't want it, just chop it down. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Tue, Jul 10, 12 at 17:28
| ....or better yet, saw it down. Sure is a lot of "chopping" in this forum! +oM |
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