Treeation

Good on you! Well executed!

Should really be clearing weeds to give at least 0.5m radius around each tree. Also, apply 100mm of mulch too around the cleared area, ths will help to retian moisture, supress weeds and add organic matter to soil, top up mulch when level is low Every little bit helps - very importants druing establishement phase. As for phytophthora, it wouldnt be good. Guess you need to get confirmation. I think you can send off sample to Forestry Commission or RHS to confirm. Coppicing alder seems to show some resistance as it says in the article I posted earlier.

Sounds like a horrible customer! I bet most people who know her probably knows she's a nnightmare so probably won't pay too much attention to her if she start complaining. You can't please everyone - as long as most of your customers are happy you will be fine reputation wise

Thats sounds pretty awkard, maybe you could try to get the neighbour around to your client and have a little meeting with all 3 of you, the neighbour can explain how important the branches are for her son and maybe then the client will understand that she has nothing to worry about in terms of being sued. At the end of the day its not your fault, you have been asked to do a job and your instructions are to cut the overhanging branches. Either you please your client or you please the neighbour which means you might get a bit of bad press. Offering a small tree to the niegbour would be a very kind, above and beyond gesture but I dont think going to the extents of building den would be appropraite as its not your fault.

Do you control competing weeds around the stock? if so how?

The trunk looks like it might have blackened tarry spots on? Maybe Phytophthora https://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcin6.pdf/$FILE/fcin6.pdf

How long ago since you planted the alder?

Maybe quince? Cydonia oblonga

You have to remember that the tree has a significant defect that you have identified and that could result in failure. You will be liable for any harm that arises. If you want to keep the tree and accept the risk, fine. What you need to do is make life as easy for the tree as possible; remove competing plants by which I mean the grass, and any other plants, all round it to at least a metre beyond the edge of the crown maybe more. Decompact the soil in this grass/plant free area, mulch with woodchip over the grass/plant free area. You could water with a dilute sugar solution a couple of times a year, water regularly anyway. Check the soil for its nutrient status, fertilize if necessary to improve soil fertility, but only if necessary. Finally protect from compaction, fence off, don't play, walk or trample around underneath it. I wouldn't prune it either, even if your arborist says it will do it good, it won't. Creating more wounds and reducing its ability to 'feed' itself won't help in getting it to focus on healing itself. sounds like good advice although having identified the defect, surely the next logical step would be to actually to assess the degree of strentgh left in the trunk by getting a professional inspection done by a competent person (if the owner wanted to keep the tree) and possible remedial pruning (if prescribed by inspection process) might make the tree safer by reducing lever arm and end weight.

Badger damage were my first thoughts

Think ill stick to wedges!

gotcha

I believe Kithcens are included... see below taken from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/9408/hedgeheight.pdf Loss of light to windows 5.1 Introduction High hedges can obstruct daylight to windows. Even if a window faces north, significant loss of diffuse sky light can occur. The extent of the loss of light will depend on the distance from the hedge to the window as well as the height of the hedge. The guidelines given here are intended for use for the main rooms of a house. These include living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens and bedrooms. Glazed doors can be counted as windows if they form a major source of light to the room. Loss of light to toilets, bathrooms, storerooms and circulation areas (hall, stairs and landing) is deemed less important and such windows need not be analysed. These guidelines apply to dwellings, and not to outbuildings such as sheds, greenhouses, summer houses, garages or workshops. Windows to these structures need not be taken into account. Where a dwelling has a conservatory, the opening between it and the house, not the front or side faces of the conservatory, is taken as the window position.

Hi Steve, nice tree...whats the long term plan with the tree? was it the start of a retrenchment program or just selective reduction to reduce end loading on scaffolds that might fail soon?

I always charge for TPO/Con area applications on small jobs now....medium to a larger jobs I do it as part of the deal quite often

Just watched the last video, really nice angles and good footage and enjoyed controlled fell at end nice work! Bit a lack of ppe though on site! Groundies could do with helmets whilst lowering the trunk and gloves - if that trunk picked up pace he would of burnt his hands, ear protection with the 66 screaming away, also eye protection whilst using a saw climbing. Not trying to be negative as I think it was a good performance overall - well done!

Watched the film - Im happy to take on very small jobs by myself but personally dont feel comfortable doing anything else by myself, also think its much more efficient having at least 2 on site for most jobs (and although its true that a rescue climber woudlnt probably be able to get to you in time if you had an accident, it doesnt make it as safe for members of the public who might in the unlikey but not imossible event - enter the site). Unless i was in the woods with the guarantee of no one coming into my drop zone I wouldn't feel 100% dropping pieces through a crown on to someones garden/drive without being able to be totally confident no one unexpected my turn up (postie/door to door salesman/ child fetching a football, random dog etc.)

Cheers, was a really cream job and enjoyable day!

Great, thanks for letting me know!

Should work now....let me know if it doesnt

A fun day we had on Friday dismantling four leggy woodland silver birch stems. The client wanted them removed due to proximity of house (the woodland site had many trees removed a few years ago to build a house leaving many tree susceptible to windthrow due to altered wind dynamics of the site... Hope you enjoy! Music is 'Say Yes' by wax tailor [ame] [/ame]

Bargain price too!

Got this email too today...and yes did seem legit to me at first glance....