Correct way to cut a tree in a garden

Take a vee shaped cut half way through in the direction you want it to fall and then cut in through the other side.
If you don't really know what you are doing have a rope pulling it the right way as well.
Or hire a tree surgeon who can drop it, grub the stump and take the tree away all with no danger to yourself.

 

With a tree like that, you tie a rope around it half way up, pull it in the direction of fall while cutting behind it quarter way up(approx.). Pull until it cracks over slowly. When the branches are on the ground, leave it cracked but still attached, then trim until stump and crack are left.

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

Before cutting through the trunk remove as many of the branches as you can first, this reduces the weight when it topples and quite often you find by removing the lower branches, the top third is really thin and when cut will drop without causing too much damage. Plus removing the branches allows you to get a ladder or steps closer to the tree as Mr HA above says, get at least one rope on the tree.

Unless you a really experienced with a chain saw try and avoid using it when on a ladder or steps.

 

Painting the stump with neat (undiluted) glyphosate you bought earlier will prevent any regrowth from the stump.

 

Depending where you put your felling cut wedge in the trunk, you can drop that tree any direction you like.




Drill the stump & fill with a strong mix of magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts), & cover, if your too lazy to grub out stump.

 

Bond, listen to Sos above...

Get a ladder and tie the top to a good branch. Get up there with a bow saw and cut off as many branches as you can first.

Trees are deceptively heavy - I think you'll be surprised just how long and heavy these branches are as they fall to the ground! The whole tree will be very heavy and unless you are 100% certain you can control how it falls, then I'd advise not doing it in 'one'.

I think you'll also find that the tree feels a lot taller and bigger once you are 'up' there

Once the main branches are off, you can judge whether you can then tie a rope around the top of the trunk and have it tensioned adequately to absolutely pull it down into your garden

(By 'tensioned adequately', I don't mean you have a colleague hanging on to it and pulling. I mean it is secured to a post or something that cannot move, and is then pulled very tight so the trunk will be securely pulled one way only - and certainly cannot go the 'wrong' way.)

 

Yes it can, if your rope breaks..

 

What'll hurt more - the crushed fence or the slicing action of the snapped rope...

 

1: Depends whether you stood in the way of the rope...

2: The possible reaction of your neighbour when you flatten his fence...

 

My council offer a home wood-chipping service at a cost of £25 per hour, the machine accepts trunks upto 6" in diameter.

Booked a one hour slot earlier this year, very efficient, was left with nearly 30 sacks of chipping, ended up putting a sign on it 'Free to collector' and all disappeared within 10 days.

Would have taken a long time and effort if using the green wheelie bin.

 

Leave it alone. What harms it doing.
Hope your neighbour reports you.

 

Agree, I personally like, it is a shame to cut the tree down,different if diseased or unsafe, it just needs a bit of shaping, can take out the crown to reduce/restrict it's height.

Now, if a leylandi I wouldn't hesistate cutting it down.

 

The first thing that came to mind is that last bit in the film Fargo with the wood chipper and a leg with a sock on it sticking out of the top

Hopefully not too grizzly - there is a warning for the squeemish

 

Did you watch the magician on YB who cut his wife with the chainsaw (act went horribly wrong).




p.s Folks dont try this at home

 

Look at how it's leaning. Is it already leaning the right way?

Look at the crown and the branches? Try and work out where the centre of gravity is.

Make sure it's not windy. That canopy is a big sail, the tree will sway and will make the fall unpredictable.

Be careful with that rope too. Too much tension will cause the hinge to fail early and you'll get a tree in the face. If the tree goes the wrong way it'll swing on the rope and the back may slide out too.

It's quite a small tree and if you're not confident with a chainsaw then you may want to make the back cut (3rd cut in KIAB's diagram) less deep and then stick a wedge in there. Then you can put the chainsaw away and finish it off with a lump hammer and the wedge. That way you're not worrying about the chainsaw. Wedges can really help if you're nervous about the direction (although that tree's too small to get one behind the chainsaw).

You could find the tree comes down, it rocks on a branch then pushes the trunk back into the fence, but I can't really judge distances or see how the branches are arranged from photos.

 

Most trees would have a natural direction of fall so if you are unsure of the tree lean it is better to move a little away from the tree before you begin.Up to a certain extent you can force the tree to fall against the direction of its fall but it would increase risk and the physical exertion needed for the task.Just make sure that you have the right felling support tools.Trees with a weaker timber can be felled in the easiest direction.

 

if it does come down in one you might want to make sure it doesn't fall over the run of a clay sewerpipe. Though this might be deep, a big "thunk" from a falling tree can cause crack/dmage!

So I'm told!

Regards,

Cando

 

9 months on, it is either down already or waiting for the winter storms