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| We have a lovely 12-14' magnolia tree in the small backyard of our new home in New Orleans (Bywater). Problem is, it's waaay too close to the house, to the point where I worry about foundation damage, in addition to just practical concerns, like blocking the sun and how long we have until it actually touches the back porch.
Question is: Are there nurseries/landscaping companies/parks etc. that would want a "donation" in exchange for removal? I hate to just cut it down, and it seems like it would be worth a lot of money to a landscaper to get a free established tree. Has anyone heard of this sort of thing? Or should I just bite the bullet and murder it? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Sep 25, 12 at 16:03
| i doubt it ... MAYBE? if they could pull in a tree spade and get it out in seconds ... but your small yard doesnt sound like that will work ... and it nearly too big for hand digging ... and i dont see paying 2 guys a days labor to get it out ... try craigs list.. or something like that.. and do call miss dig.. and make sure no one cuts your utilities while they are doing the job for free ... ken ps: listen to me.. dont feel guilty about having to kill it, if it comes down to that ... i surely trust.. you will placate mother earth.. by planting something else.. so dont get all wound up with having to correct someone else's mistake .. if its gotta go.. its gotta go ... |
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- Posted by LyannaStark none (My Page) on Tue, Sep 25, 12 at 16:44
| Thank you for the absolution of guilt. I realize now that's mostly what I was looking for. ;) Mother Earth is gonna love this yard when I'm done with it! |
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| Not unusual for these trees to be planted too close to houses. I can understand the mistake being made in the North were perhaps they're less common but not in N.O.. There a local store that has two Bracken's Browns planted right up against the buiding--I think they think they are just bigger hollies that can be pruned regularly. I saw another that was in a small front yard and formally trimmed--like boxwood. -- UGLY! Unfortunately, they do not take too kindly to transplanting unless small enough. Years ago, I made the mistake of planting a Southern Magnolia too close to a former house--thinking that te house proximity was necessary to grow it in the North. Well, eventually it got over the 2nd floor and was growing even more horizontally. New owners immediately cut it down. I could not pass my old house for quite a while I felt so bad. I made up for it in my new place--now I have about a dozen specimens of several cultivars all well away from the house. Mistakes happen, just learn from them. Good luck! |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Sep 26, 12 at 12:10
| Thank you for the absolution of guilt. I realize now that's mostly what I was looking for. ;) ===>>> i suspect that is why most peeps come for opinion ... lol ... and i give it to them ... since you have goals.. understand.. that most tags ... size estimates.. are at 10 years .. and frankly ... trees, shrubs and conifers.. will be twice as big at 20 years ... and if you site things for 20 years ... especially the backbones of your garden ... you will be all set for a long time.. what too many peeps do.. is site it perfectly for what it is.. the day they drag it in.. and kinda forget about the future ... plan the backbone for eternity.. and plant things around them.. that can be moved later.. or sacrificed to the druid gods ... good luck come back often .. i have a lot more opinions.. lol ken ps: as an example ... in this pic.. the tri color beech was placed forever ... theoretically.. everything else can be moved out .... except the dwarf .. i dont think he will ever leave ... lol ... also a bit of creating pruning keeps the tree in perspective for the spot ... [even that invasive juniper at the edge of the cement.. a pox on them ..]
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- Posted by LyannaStark none (My Page) on Wed, Sep 26, 12 at 17:09
| Thank you! I actually love this place and used to post here a lot, but I haven't had real dirt in so long I forgot all my login info so I'm starting fresh! YAY for a real yard! njoasis, no kidding, it really makes no sense in New Orleans. Everyone knows how big they get, and everyone knows we live on a swamp. Your foundation will get wonky if you just look at it funny, let alone have it fight with the root system of a 30' tree. So tree murder it is! It will die knowing it helped bring sun to many many years of passiflora, winter sweet peas, and herbs. I'll think of you whenever I have rosemary potatoes, poorly-planned magnolia tree! |
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