My new least favourite tree to work on.

[5 shires]

There are a few trees I don’t really look forward to doing any kind of work on be it Reduction and or complete Removal,such as Hawthorne,Holly you know the usual pigs...but as of today my new least favourite is Elder.

i had to reduce the biggest Elder I have ever seen and to say it didn’t want to go quietly is an understatement.

it mite have been because I was in a rush to get it done so I could get back for the rugby but boy what a bastard she was(yes definitely a female).

 

Every branch and or limb I cut got hung up or jammed it’s self in a fork or crutch,nothing would fall were I wanted it too,when dragging it got caught up on every piece of fencing nook and cranny it could find and when going through the gate it was like it was saying i’am not leaving here and managed to jam it’s self in the handles and get hooked up it was fighting me all the way.

 

Even when chipping it was still not having it,every branch seemed to whip me across the face arm legs it was a being a proper bastard,I guess its the old adage that when you want to get somewhere quick something gets in the way and because I wanted to get back in time for the Rugby may be I was subconsciously thinking it was being difficult and rushing i don’t know but it just seemed to fighting me all the way.??

Edited March 7, 2020 by 5 shires

[Alex O]

Yeah very brittle to , but any tree in the rain can be crap, for me it’s been eucalyptus for a long time, smooth, heavy , can’t really do to much to them apart from crown raise, dead wood or dismantle, but since coming over here to aus I don’t have much choice and actually there not as bad as some of the other stuff they have here. Palms are pretty crappie to work on some have huge spikes on the foliage which pack a punch beyond what hawthorn do, they also are very messy and home to various cockroaches, spiders and possums. But hey you can’t have everything at least it’s dry so I can’t complain to much.

[Stere]

Elder Mother - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

You must of upset the elder mother ?

 

[Guest Gimlet]

Yes. Elder is a tree of mythical powers. Don't piss it off, it knows where you live.

[doobin]

I keep thinking that. As I rip it out by the roots with a grab and swing it onto the fire with it's companions.

[Billhook]

I think that it is all right to reduce it as long as you ask it politely first  (advice from Lincolnshire!)

[peatff]

Superstition was that it is bad luck to burn Elderberry indoors. Best not to tempt fate

[5 shires]

All of the above sounds feasible as there was something not helping me on Saturday so next time I get one I will say a prayer and throw some holy water over it before I start.just spooky.Anyway it was worth all the hassle and rushing as England won(just).

[Guest Gimlet]

12 hours ago, peatff said:

Superstition was that it is bad luck to burn Elderberry indoors. Best not to tempt fate

Probably because it spits really badly and green elder can explode throwing burning logs out onto the hearth. If it burns your house down that is pretty unlucky.