Tree from hell

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unclemoustache

My 'stache is bigger than yours.
AS Supporting Member.
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S. Il. near St. Louis
Got hired to trim out a few hackberries that were scraping a house and scaring the daughters when a neighbor of the customer waved to me. I recognized him as a pastor from our homeschool group so I went over to chat.
To cut it short, he hired me to take out a few branches of a tree in his yard. Turns out to be a honeylocust- with some darn big spikes in it. That is bad enough by all accounts, but it wasn't until I was up in the tree (ladder) that I noticed the poison ivy.
Honey locust wrapped in poison ivy- can it get any worse? Tree of hell- in the yard of a pastor!
That was two days ago and it looks like I escaped the PI, but I did get stabbed a couple times.
Fortunately that job turned into a double tree removal at his sons house. Silver Maple and Mulberry! I get to keep the mulberry and he will deal with the branches. Score!
 
Honey locust wrapped in poison ivy- can it get any worse?

Hornets in a honey Locust wrapped in poison ivy.

It's been 20 years ago but I looked at Honey Locust growing over a house that needed trimming and some limbs removed.

Told the owner I wasn't interested.

That was after the owner had mentioned the other tree guys wanted a lot of money for the job.
 
Hornets in a honey Locust wrapped in poison ivy.

It's been 20 years ago but I looked at Honey Locust growing over a house that needed trimming and some limbs removed.

Told the owner I wasn't interested.

That was after the owner had mentioned the other tree guys wanted a lot of money for the job.

I planted a row of thornless honey locust along the highway frontage shortly after I bought this place...about 30 years later I saw one had reverted to 'thorns'. Tree died of chainsawitis before the day was doen. 20 years later and I am still fight flat tires on the rider mower and trailers from thorns.
 
Cut that ivy at the base. At least the vine will be neutralized in 12-18 months and not get the next guy!

Knock on wood I've only encountered PI on my charity cutting projects.
 
Beware. Almost recovered from PI that got me in the gap between my gloves and long sleeved jacket a few weeks ago. Picking up rounds. Knew it was there but it is early spring and it shows zero life. My bad.....
 
I havent had a case of poison ivy in 40 years or more. I can lay in it, wallow in it, take the leaves and rub them up and down my arms, stuff just doesnt bother me. I guess when I was young I got it so much I built up and immunity or something. I say that and tomorrow I will just see some on the side of the road and break out in hives
 
Did it look anything like this Cherry tree. The Cherry was dead as a door nail, not one green leaf on it. Every bit of green on it is Poison Ivy. I think I took 3 trailer loads to the burn pile on the farm. Don't worry, that was last year and the farmer has no intention of starting the fire, Joe.



 
I havent had a case of poison ivy in 40 years or more. I can lay in it, wallow in it, take the leaves and rub them up and down my arms, stuff just doesnt bother me. I guess when I was young I got it so much I built up and immunity or something. I say that and tomorrow I will just see some on the side of the road and break out in hives
I'm pretty lucky that way but my brother gets it bad just looking at it.

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I havent had a case of poison ivy in 40 years or more. I can lay in it, wallow in it, take the leaves and rub them up and down my arms, stuff just doesnt bother me. I guess when I was young I got it so much I built up and immunity or something. I say that and tomorrow I will just see some on the side of the road and break out in hives
famous last word's/statement!! lol
 
Could've had a rabid coon in it that had just messed with a beehive and then fell into a power line closing the circuit to one of the branches.:chainsaw::lol:


OK, I guess it could get worse!!

I cut the vine at the base (in 2 places) and will go back next winter to take the branch down.

And, to be honest (but not completely), it was a bit worse than what I stated, and let's just say that I damaged something that belonged to the owner and insisted on replacing it, so I lost money on that job, and that's all we need to say about THAT!!! :laugh::cry::angry:
 
Beware. Almost recovered from PI that got me in the gap between my gloves and long sleeved jacket a few weeks ago. Picking up rounds. Knew it was there but it is early spring and it shows zero life. My bad.....

Been there myself. What I made was I took an old pair of white socks and cut the bottoms off and just kept the elastic part. Slip it on and it will protect your wrists and lower arms.

I also wash poison ivy with dawn soap and I wipe it with cotton swabs and nail polish remover. I then wear the sock things over that to keep it from being irritated. This seems to dry the sores.

Works for me every time
 

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OK, I guess it could get worse!!

I cut the vine at the base (in 2 places) and will go back next winter to take the branch down.

And, to be honest (but not completely), it was a bit worse than what I stated, and let's just say that I damaged something that belonged to the owner and insisted on replacing it, so I lost money on that job, and that's all we need to say about THAT!!! :laugh::cry::angry:

Good on ya'

Some jobs you lose money, just the way of the world, but you can come out with your reputation intact.

I do hate when that happens though, been there myself.
 
OK, reviving a 2 1/2 year old thread.
I'm going back tomorrow to take out the tree.

It's intertwined with an oak tree, and he wants to save the oak, but the honeylocust has some PI growing back! I didn't see how far up the tree it has grown, but I don't think it's very far. Hopefully not.

Anyway, I'll do everything possible to protect myself from thorn and oil. Will get pics for you all.
 
Good luck. I put a pic of my trailer loaded down with vines as big as my wrist, up above. Now it's a pretty little field, stump gone, K31 growing strong. I wish you the same success on your job. Although, I was working in shorts and T shirt, and got a two week case of the itchies.
 
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