Spikeless pruning required?

[computeruser]

I have three large oaks in my yard that need to have deadwood removed and a couple over-weight, decay-in-the-inclusion branches lightened. I've been talking to a couple local tree service companies, both large and small, all with good reputations. Each of these companies has expressed a desire to do pruning with spikes, and when asked only one offered to do the work spikeless, albeit for a substantial upcharge.

One of the oaks is in great health, and the other two appear to be in decent, though not perfect, health. My inclination, without knowing much apart from what I read here and on various pruning-related websites, is that working these trees with spikes is not in the trees' best interest. These are old trees that are located close and/or over my house, and I'd prefer to keep them alive and well for as long as conceivably possible and in as good a state of health as possible. I'd also prefer to pay someone to do all three trees, since I can only get to two of them with a borrowed 30' bucket + Stihl HT, and would destroy my lawn if I did it myself.

Am I out of line to require spikeless on pruning on these trees?

 

[OTG BOSTON]

Am I out of line to require spikeless on pruning on these trees?

No, you are just an informed consumer . Maybe you should tell those clowns about AS. Don't let them do it, and if you do hire someone, plan on being there to make sure they don't spike your trees!

 

[computeruser]

No, you are just an informed consumer . Maybe you should tell those clowns about AS. Don't let them do it, and if you do hire someone, plan on being there to make sure they don't spike your trees!

Thanks for the feedback. That's what was thinking. And I can assure you that I'd be there for the work, without a doubt - I'd much rather spend an afternoon watching my trees get trimmed than spend an afternoon watching my wacky clients spout off at the mouth...

 

[Dadatwins]

You are not out of line requesting the work be done properly and safely. Spiking a live tree to prune it is not an acceptable practice in the industry. Is it possible to post a picture of the tree(s) so we can see the situation?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

The fact that they don't know how to move around in a tree without spikes, makes me wonder what else they don't know!
Do not let these hacks anywhere near your trees. In fact, if you can get a hose and spray any parts of the trees that these guys even looked at, it might help them by rinsing off the hack germs.
Asking about spike use is a good tool to screen potential tree services, right on the phone, before they waste your time coming out.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

I switched years ago - subcontracting - from a guy that still used spikes, to a Certified Arborist who climbs to prune without spikes.

The spikeless arborist does the work in about the same amount of time.

In fact, the spikeless arborist was doing projects for me at about 5% less expense, with better quality.

 

[Pilsnaman]

+1 on everything said so far. There is no reason to use spikes unless doing a removal, IMHO. Last year my sister's neighbor had some dead wooding done on oaks and the hacks used spikes. Also, the guy was one handing a chainsaw while only tied in once, not to mention no safety glasses, ear plugs, or chaps (when on the ground). I can still see the spike marks today.