do you all top trees

[sgreanbeans]

That's a good question. Depends on the type of tree. Oak no! Pine no., Cherry Laurel, Crepe Myrtle, or small tree that is being used as a hedge yes. I recommend that it should be taken down and another tree planted if it looks really bad or will hurt the tree like a Live Oak. If it looks healthy then I will recommend that it should have a crown reduction and restoration. I stand behind what I do I also do Landscaping so if I lose a job or two because I won't do something that could come back in bite me in the #ss then so be it. I rather hold a high standard because I know it always comes back to benefit me.

:msp_thumbup:

 

[capetrees]

First and foremost, lets be clear and honest, I'm not an arborist. Never claimed to be in here or out in the community and I make that clear to everyone I work with.

That being said, my comments in here and to clients is based on actual experience on job sites. I have rarely gone back to remove a topped tree. For whatever reason, they seem to survive and the owners are happy with the results, often times calling me back to re-top.

I guess on this topic, I'll agree to disagree. :deadhorse:

 

[Carburetorless]

Your right, I will go hungry before I top a tree. If I am broke, and need to resort to that type of work, then I need to get into something else. Ya don't top trees. I am not going to go into all the details, don't need to, it has already been done, in depth, thousands of times, Google it. I understand that there may be a legit reason, from time to time, but they are far and few between. No matter the sit, there is always another option, It is up to you , as a professional Arborist to inform the client on proper Arboriculture.Most of the time, with the proper education, they will go with what ever you suggest, if they insist, after getting the right info, then that's when I fire my client.

I'll be you get a lot of funny looks from clients.

If I know there is a better solution, and that's usually a pretty big if, because there are other factors that come into play when dealing with customers.

I will not do that work. If they want a view, remove the trees and plant grass. Several times I have been on this type of bid, when I tell them no, that rattles them, I tell them they need a hacker and give them suggestions on who to call, ya know the guys who do it all the time, they usually call me back after meeting the bubbas and go with the right way instead.

I'll tell ya what; You just send all those customers my way, and I'll take care of them for ya. Take some of the heat off of ya; What'ya say?

 

[SoiLLclimber]

Is this what you are referring to by topping trees?

 

[beastmaster]

Don't top trees. Period. If there is some reason that a tree needs to be topped, then it should be removed. Oak trees, no matter where they are, don't recover well. No tree recovers "well" from a topping. Some do better than others, but they all suffer and none of them do "well". You can do your best to restore it over time, but most of the time the effort is pointless, tree will never be the same.

Agree a 100%. There is no reason to top a tree in the first place(HV wires maybe). I hate it when I hear, "Its getting to tall", so what?
How did those poor trees survive for 1000's of years with out being topped? Trees are way more complexe then people give them credit for. They know what they need and generally form a growth pattern to serve that need. Working against the tree's Idea of what it feels it needs is pretty self serving.
Considering less is better in trimming most trees, topping is just criminal. A topped tree is a ruined tree. I often ask a customer to google," topping trees." then if they can show me where someone says there is a benefit to it, I'll consider it. Hasn't happened yet.
Only though education will people start to understand, some will never care. Teach people whats right and you also eliminate and expose those who are topping for what they are. thous limiting the field. Educate and set your self above

 

[sgreanbeans]

Only though education will people start to understand, some will never care. Teach people whats right and you also eliminate and expose those who are topping for what they are. thous limiting the field. Educate and set your self above

Luke, this is the way of the force.

 

[hunthawkdog]

Is this what you are referring to by topping trees?

yup thats what I m talking about ugly aint it if i did that id be worried about a sob phone call you killed my tree lets go to the court

 

[Earl68754]

From what youve described it sounds like pruning. Toping a tree is just that taking the top out of a trees Ive done this a time or two and looks hidious I try to turn stuff like that down because my rep is riding on my work. But its not that common here but from your description it almost sounds like the seasonal pruning of a crape merytal which looks like a log with a few leads left. if so youtube has some good videos

 

[SoiLLclimber]

Seems in my area, thats what all the trees are starting to look like. I know of a guy in the area, and topping is his speciality. I just don't understand how a HO thinks that would even look good. Let alone being horrible for the tree. But everyone wants it done. I'm not certified (yet) however I don't practice this form of hackery. I try to educate and give them options. It's hard to get your point across when they are already looking for someone else to call.

 

[Carburetorless]

Is this what you are referring to by topping trees?

No I wouldn't go that far.

If you take those down till there is only 3 or 4 feet of stubs left, then you'll see how the guys around here that call themselves "Real Tree Experts" do it. They leave almost nothing but the stump, every time.

I guess they like feeding the chipper. :msp_confused:

 

[Carburetorless]

Seems in my area, thats what all the trees are starting to look like. I know of a guy in the area, and topping is his speciality. I just don't understand how a HO thinks that would even look good. Let alone being horrible for the tree. But everyone wants it done. I'm not certified (yet) however I don't practice this form of hackery. I try to educate and give them options. It's hard to get your point across when they are already looking for someone else to call.

I know what you mean; However, if there's one thing I've learned it's that being idealistic isn't what makes you money in business.

I didn't go into business to do things halfassed, but all too often I see jack legs screwing up jobs that I offered to do the right way.

Now more than ever, there are more new start ups out there than I've ever seen in my life, maybe 1 in 20 know what they're doing, the rest know how to BS customers and do lousy work.

Maybe it's the economy, I kind of doubt it, because I see the same customers, who hire jack legs, having other work done by reputable contractors. It's just that this type of business is so easy to get into, anyone with a chainsaw can start.

If there were a requirement to be certified, that would weed out a lot of the hackers. I think.

 

[SoiLLclimber]

So are you saying that in order to make money and be successful, I need to scrap my ideals and just perform the job the HO wants?

 

[ClimbMIT]

Agree a 100%. There is no reason to top a tree in the first place(HV wires maybe). I hate it when I hear, "Its getting to tall", so what?
How did those poor trees survive for 1000's of years with out being topped? Trees are way more complexe then people give them credit for. They know what they need and generally form a growth pattern to serve that need. Working against the tree's Idea of what it feels it needs is pretty self serving.
Considering less is better in trimming most trees, topping is just criminal. A topped tree is a ruined tree. I often ask a customer to google," topping trees." then if they can show me where someone says there is a benefit to it, I'll consider it. Hasn't happened yet.
Only though education will people start to understand, some will never care. Teach people whats right and you also eliminate and expose those who are topping for what they are. thous limiting the field. Educate and set your self above

Thumbs up!

 

[huang0ae469aa]

I agree with you. Ask the customer why they want the tree topped? Usually they tell me that it's getting to tall and they don't want to fall and hit their house or other structure. That's when I explain how topping was excepted practice many years ago and is no longer recommended. It makes the tree weaker, top heavy, vulnerable to disease and insects, and is freagin ugly! Don't

 

[Grace Tree]

View attachment 223789

 

[Carburetorless]

So are you saying that in order to make money and be successful, I need to scrap my ideals and just perform the job the HO wants?

I'm not about to tell you what you should do, because ultimately you're going to do what you want anyways.

I'm just saying being idealistic about your work is something we all wish we could do, and it's nice work when you can get it that way; However, there's more money to be made by doing what the customer wants done.

So you have ask yourself; Do I want to do things my way, or do I want to make a #### load of money?

 

[sgreanbeans]

How bout both

 

[VA-Sawyer]

Back when I worked on airplanes, sometimes a customer would want something that wasn't correct to be signed off as airworthy because they thought it would be too expensive or time consuming to fix right.
I NEVER did it. Twice, I was told by my boss to sign it or else I didn't work there anymore. Both times I said " Give me 10 minutes to pack my toolbox and I'll be gone". Both times they looked at me with shock on their faces, cause nobody had quit that way before. Also, in both cases, somebody else signed it off.
So yes, I was out of work and they still got what they wanted, but if the crap hit the fan, I didn't have to worry about my backside in the grinder.
Some people have real principles and others just use their lips to spead BS.
Rick

 

[SoiLLclimber]

Have to agree with beans on this. Like he mentioned in one of his earlier posts, if he has to resort to hackery to put food on the table, then he needs to change professions. I'm not just going to do what the HO wants. That defeats the whole purpose of trying to be a reputable business man. Seems to me if someone is just willing to do whatever for a dime then how much do they really care for their profession. And then how does that reflect on said profession? Now I know I'm young in this profession and still have a lot to learn, however it doesn't matter my climbing skills and how well I yield a chainsaw if I don't care how a tree looks or its health when I'm done and whether or not my client understands what I do/have done. If I don't teach them, I'm just leaving someone else the opportunity to pull one over on them again.

 

[Carburetorless]

How bout both

Like I said 'It's nice work when you can get it'.