When to remove a tree
Should I remove my tree or just have it trimmed? This is sometimes a tricky question, and the answer has a lot to do with priorities. At the end of the day it is the owners decision, and we respect that, so our place is simply to give the best information we can to help them make a decision that they will be happy with in the long run.
Trees that we usually recommend removing are:
- Invasive species.
- Trees that are dead or beyond treatment.
- Dangerous or unstable trees that can’t be fixed by simply pruning.
- Incompatible species, such as a walnut in a row of spruce (Walnut trees emit a toxin that can slowly kill spruce trees and some others as well)
Many trees have options both ways. A large fast growing tree planted to close to a house can be trimmed, and have its roots trimmed to prevent foundation damage. It will need regular repeats of this treatment though, so in the long run it may be wiser to replace with a new tree in a better spot, or of a species more suited to the size of the space. For these reasons many will chose to remove the tree sooner than later.
Trees that we might recommend removing or applying a regular trimming schedule to:
- Trees planted far to close to buildings.
- Trees that grow very quickly and that are in a smaller space.
- Shorter lived trees such as willow or poplar which tend to grow quickly, but often begin to decline after only 20 or 30 years.
- Trees in decline, but still sound enough that they can be kept with reasonable safety after dead, damaged, and diseased branches have been removed.
Some times it makes more sense to trim a tree that is “causing trouble”. These are cases where the tree is “worth keeping” but just needs some problem solving done to keep things nice.
Some examples are:
- Healthy, strong trees that are just a bit too close to a building.
- Trees that respond well to thinning when the problem is simply too much shade.
- Mature trees that are otherwise sound, but just need dead wood removed, and any weak branches taken out.
When booking a quote let us know if you are not sure what you want done, and we can help you make an educated decision!