Goodbye Trees

 Part of landscaping the front yard included getting some trees taken down. This wasn't an easy decision, as the trees were healthy, old pine trees - I counted 114 rings across the 28" stump. But old, tall pines are also dangerous, with high winds they can topple and crush our house or cars. Plus it just wasn't the look we wanted, the pines don't provide much shade, drop tons of needles, create very acidic soil as the needles compost down, so we decided to take these two down. Also there were some other dead trees we had taken down last year, I was going to get a portable sawmill to cut those into lumber but it never happened. So the same tree crew came out and cleaned up last years mess when they took down these two new pines. 

Notice the guy climbing that tree

Top is gone, guy is still up there

Both trees are gone

2 new stumps, logs and an old stump in the background

The new street view

This is called a Humboldt Notch

Of course I had to get in on the action too. This tiny sweet gum tree was growing in the driveway, I've wanted to take it down for years. And of course I recently got hooked on arborist videos on youtube, so I had to try a new technique for me. A humboldt notch is when you undercut the tree in the direction you wanted it to fall. It's apparently very popular on the west coast. I made the initial cut back too deep, then the notch cutout wasn't deep enough so my back cut didn't leave the hinge wood in the right place. Fortunately a 5" diameter tree is an easy enough place to make this rookie mistake.

We're glad these trees came down, it really does open up the landscaping in the front yard. Kelley has really been working hard out in the wooded area, trying to clean up out there and turn it into something attractive instead of just overgrown wisteria and trash pile area. They ran the limbs through the chipper, and left a massive truckload of chips in our front yard so we're set for pine mulch for a while. The process of watching those guys climb the trees and cut their way down is really impressive.