Caught

[Adkpk]

I've read several post on this site cursing out the landscaper in a few different circumstances. So how do you all feel about this?
Working for customer who has been asking me for years to protect the hedge which makes his screen from the road. It's made up of mostly hemlocks. I pole prune them every three or so years to keep them full. Yesterday I discover an oak branch which has spread it's limbs, very well over the top of them. Looking for any excuse to get in a tree and also to let in some light in, I opt to do this job myself. Making a long story short, I finish with rewarding success. As I am lowering the pole saw and 200t, I see, who, the arborist pulling up in the spray truck. (forgot to mention, I am a landscaper) He comes down the driveway and there I am perched on the lower branch of the oak about to descend. He asks, "what are you doing up there?" I replied, Uhhh, "I lost my keys." OK, truthfully I say, "trimming some branches." So he leaves and I hear a chainsaw start:chainsawguy: . OK lying about the chainsaw, too. But he didn't care of course because he is a very nice guy. I got down out of the tree and he sprayed them.
Really no big deal because I do know this guy from this particular property. But come, how would some of you guys feel if you showed up to do a job and the landscaper was up in one of them.

 

[treesquirrel]

I've read several post on this site cursing out the landscaper in a few different circumstances. So how do you all feel about this?
Working for customer who has been asking me for years to protect the hedge which makes his screen from the road. It's made up of mostly hemlocks. I pole prune them every three or so years to keep them full. Yesterday I discover an oak branch which has spread it's limbs, very well over the top of them. Looking for any excuse to get in a tree and also to let in some light in, I opt to do this job myself. Making a long story short, I finish with rewarding success. As I am lowering the pole saw and 200t, I see, who, the arborist pulling up in the spray truck. (forgot to mention, I am a landscaper) He comes down the driveway and there I am perched on the lower branch of the oak about to descend. He asks, "what are you doing up there?" I replied, Uhhh, "I lost my keys." OK, truthfully I say, "trimming some branches." So he leaves and I hear a chainsaw start:chainsawguy: . OK lying about the chainsaw, too. But he didn't care of course because he is a very nice guy. I got down out of the tree and he sprayed them.
Really no big deal because I do know this guy from this particular property. But come, how would some of you guys feel if you showed up to do a job and the landscaper was up in one of them.

It is free enterprise. No justifiable reason to get angry.

 

[Dadatwins]

My only question would be about insurance. Many landscape policies do not cover tree work. God forbid anyone was hurt while you were working on that limb would you be covered? Not knocking the work, a buck earned by you is always better than the other guy, as long as it done fairly. Be careful.

 

[Gate Keeper]

I would only be upset if it were a tree I was trying to preserve. And by cutting that limb it could potentially introduced disease or insects. If not you saved me the trouble. :bang:

 

[sperho]

But come, how would some of you guys feel if you showed up to do a job and the landscaper was up in one of them.

Wouldn't it depend on what the customer ordered? If the arborist was hired to spray, then he shouldn't get torqued when someone else is doing their job as well, right? Unless they are a chest puffer or something...

 

[Adkpk]

To make the short story long. The customer came out to talk to the guy and asked if he needed a climber. The guy turned to me and said show up tomorrow morning at 8 and I would have the job. (Which would solve the insurance problem.) He did a quick review of what he saw while I was perched on the limb. To make that long story short, he approved of the removal. (it was only a 4" dia limb) I am not looking to change my career at my age and reputation. I just want to sneak up a tree every now and then to help pay for the equipment I have purchased and have some fun. The customer gets away with more sunlight on his trees and a couple of extra bucks in his pocket.

 

[John464]

wouldn't make me mad, but you would get crossed off of my list of landscapers to refer to my customers.

I'd also tell the customer that if you want me to continue to care for your trees to keep your husband, your landscaper, and whomever else feels the need to cut it, alone.

 

[treeman82]

I definately wouldn't be too happy if I was the guy who's account it was. One friend of mine who does excavation has dropped accounts in the past because they had somebody else on the property with a machine. On the other hand, I've been the one to take over from the last guy a few times in the past. Actually one client I picked up from a friend... he used to cut the grass over there AND do the tree work along with the lawn apps. He didn't want to do the gardening, so he gave the account to me. Now I go and do the tree work, the gardening, and the applications. He's not mad or anything... except for when I put down fertilizer on the lawn, because he still cuts it.

 

[Adkpk]

wouldn't make me mad, but you would get crossed off of my list of landscapers to refer to my customers.

I'd also tell the customer that if you want me to continue to care for your trees to keep your husband, your landscaper, and whomever else feels the need to cut it, alone.

Don't cross me off your list so fast. I'm a good gardener. I wouldn't go onto one your customers places a start climbing trees if I knew you or the customer didn't want me too. I'm the person to come see if something needs to be done on this particular place, so I was in the right. I have marked the trees for the arborist to come and remove. He is waiting to get the permit. He's got his work cut out for him.

I didn't get your second line.


I used good judgment on this one. I don't step on other peoples feet if I am aware. That guy wouldn't have cut this branch if I didn't ask him and I pretty sure he didn't want to. It was made for a good story IMO, being caught up a tree by the arborist. :biggrinbounce2:
Thanks for posting.

 

[BLACKeR]

you did your job, you were supposed to care for his hedge. there was an intruding branch. well done, i bet you did feel like the cat caught with the canary though.

I'd also tell the customer that if you want me to continue to care for your trees to keep your husband, your landscaper, and whomever else feels the need to cut it, alone.

if someone said that to me id say: thank you, you don't own the trees i do, and i wont be needing your services anymore.

 

[sperho]

if someone said that to me id say: thank you, you don't own the trees i do, and i wont be needing your services anymore.

You got that right. If I heard those words, they'd be fumbling for their truck keys faster than Lindsay Lohan gets out of rehab.

 

[Adkpk]

So what he is saying is the whomever he is addressing those words to is the customer and the husband sleeps outside in the doghouse with me? :monkey: Who is that guy?:biggrinbounce2:

 

[TaoTreeClimber]

If landscapers and lawn jockeys are going to do small pruning jobs all I care about is that they to it correctly. I hate showing up to a property and seeing stubs or flush cuts. Stubs I can fix. Flush cuts I cant. If you do It or I do it makes no difference to me as long as its done safely and correctly

Kenn

 

[dakota]

Yesterday I discover an oak branch which has spread it's limbs, very well over the top of them. Looking for any excuse to get in a tree and also to let in some light in, I opt to do this job myself. Making a long story short, I finish with rewarding success.

Not sure if oak wilt is a problem in NYC, but 'round here we generally avoid pruning oaks this time of year.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If I were the tree guy, I wouldn't get mad, but next time you showed up on that site, all the landscaping would already be done.

And I agree with Dakota, you could be spreading a fatal disease around trimming oaks this time of year. There are also considerations involved with removing limbs on mature trees. You're concerned about the stupid bushes, while killing and disfiguring the tree.

 

[Adkpk]

I've been trimming trees long enough (30 yrs) to know how to cut the limbs. Iam just new to climbing them.

Oak wilt is something I will look up, thanks for the advise.

If I showed up and the arborist did the landscaping he would be in trouble with the customer for not spending the time cutting the trees I marked for him. He has several 60-80'ers to deal with.

Mike your second comment was a little harsh. "Stupid bushes", bushes are not stupid and neither am I. Or maybe I am, I don't know what "oak wilt" is so maybe I did kill the tree. But if I didn't I am sure I didn't disfigure it. This tree is a shrub oak, it's is a beautiful tree that has long sweeping branches that come out over the lawn. The branch I cut was only visible if you went into the top of the hedge. The customer wanted me to thicken the growth of the hedge and this branch IMO was the culprit of the shade that was inhibiting growth. There is new sunlight upon the ground under the hedge now.

Is there a treatment for oak wilt.

 

[moss]

Oak wilt disease info

Oak wilt disease

I can't find any info that says oak wilt disease is in New York state or New England states.
-moss