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whopis01

(3,871 posts)

25. I have mixed feelings

Reply to electric_blue68 (Original post)

Thu Jul 17, 2025, 12:43 PM

Jul 17

We had a number beautiful trees around our house. There were some that were really starting to concern me since we live in a very hurricane prone area. Every time one would come through, there were a few of the trees I was really worried about.

As much as I hated to do it, we made arrangements to have a couple taken down. We had gotten the estimates and were ready to go ahead with it.

Then a tornado came along and made the decision for us. Took down a total of 7 trees. Three pines (70+ foot tall) and 4 huge oaks. We were incredibly lucky. One pine was about 15 foot away from the house and the top 20 foot of it snapped off and flew about 80 foot away - fortunately away from the house. One of the oaks scraped the paint on the side of the house and broke a railing on a wooden staircase. The yard was devastated, but we and the house were just fine.

I miss the trees we lost - but seeing what happened, I don't know I could deal with ones looming over the house again.

When they cleaned up the oaks, I had them leave the stumps - they can actually grow back from their root system. There are good ones sprouting up. It will be years (decades) before they are big - but it feels a bit better knowing they aren't completely gone.

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electric_blue68 raging moderate

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Highlight:

Home (as in single, double) Owers; a question. How do you feel about Tall Trees... [View all] electric_blue68 Jul 17 OP

I love trees but you need to maintain them, especially tall ones. CrispyQ Jul 17 #1

Ty. Heh, why didn't I think about the maintenance aspect..🤔 .on apt blocks the city does that electric_blue68 Jul 17 #4

Our city planted trees in an area between my property & sidewalk but the maintenance is our responsibility. CrispyQ Jul 17 #20

My parents hired someone to top a 150 ft Fir tree in their backyard. haele Jul 17 #24

Four years ago our new neighbor cut down a lovely tall locust tree that provide privacy between our yards & shade. CrispyQ Jul 17 #27

like any thing in/around your house... ret5hd Jul 17 #2

Ty (see my reply above) electric_blue68 Jul 17 #5

I love my trees! SheltieLover Jul 17 #3

Ty electric_blue68 Jul 17 #6

Here in the United States of Extortion, there were a few news stories SheltieLover Jul 17 #7

Oh, sh-t! Terrible! electric_blue68 Jul 17 #9

Yes!!! SheltieLover Jul 17 #11

We lost a tree after we moved into our house (some 30 years ago). My husband planted a tree in its place and today CTyankee Jul 17 #8

Oh, Not Weird to me at all! What kind? I can identify some. electric_blue68 Jul 17 #10

Wonderful! SheltieLover Jul 17 #12

While I live in the country I can tell you this, the ammount of money you can save on utility bills wipes out the risk Cheezoholic Jul 17 #13

Some interesting stuff 👍 Healthy vs diseased trees as someone else mentioned...Soil drainage!... electric_blue68 Jul 17 #19

If it's a shallow root tree like pine trees cut it down Blue Full Moon Jul 17 #14

I love Rebl2 Jul 17 #15

Sorry about youw Willow tree. They're so pretty! electric_blue68 Jul 17 #21

I live in the forest, hard to get away from them...LOL FirstLight Jul 17 #16

Forest does equal - Trees! 😉 I'm sure the big trees are glorious! I love them from saplings on up.... electric_blue68 Jul 17 #22

It's a debate I have with my spouse all the time. Ms. Toad Jul 17 #17

That's not that much A/C at all. Good you have insurance. Enjoy your trees! electric_blue68 Jul 17 #23

Talk to an arborist about "crown reduction" to limit growth and keep trees balanced. eppur_se_muova Jul 17 #18

I have mixed feelings whopis01 Jul 17 #25

Woah, that's some storm experience! Makes sense you'd be leery of close by trees!. electric_blue68 Jul 17 #32

Yes and more important? JustAnotherGen Jul 17 #26

The only answer is to have large trees evaluated by an arborist. MineralMan Jul 17 #28

Here in SW Florida markodochartaigh Jul 17 #29

Woah, losing all those pines. Didn't know they were so short lived... electric_blue68 Jul 17 #33

our house in Florida was surrounded by very large live oak trees HappyH Jul 17 #30

when we 1st bought our house, the neighbor introduced herself, then said- u know that tree's a menace. mopinko Jul 17 #31

Sorry you lost your silver maple. I like the idea of having the stump turned into a planter. electric_blue68 Jul 17 #34

Our house came with a California Live Oak that gets "older" every time some new expert looks at it Hekate Jul 17 #35

Woah, nearly a ton for a tree limb!! Good luck to you, and your Live Oak! electric_blue68 Jul 17 #36

We lost a tall tree at a house that we rent out. tinrobot Jul 17 #37

Phew! Understandable to take them down when diseased and unfixable electric_blue68 Jul 17 #39

We've Got 7 ProfessorGAC Jul 17 #38

There are a couple of mulberry trees in two different areas, neighborhoods I've walked through. Lots of berries on the electric_blue68 Jul 17 #41

We Make Mulberry Jam ProfessorGAC Jul 17 #43

Oh, no...No tomatoes! Container plants with cherry tomatoes, maybe? electric_blue68 Jul 17 #45

Couldn't Even Make Cherry Tomatoes Work ProfessorGAC Jul 17 #46

It has to be the right tree in the right place, but if you have room for it go for it. meadowlander Jul 17 #40

Depends on the kind of trees and the placement of them on the lot. llmart Jul 17 #42

"Hence the name NORWAY.". Indded! 😄 .... electric_blue68 Jul 17 #44

Funny! llmart Jul 17 #47

Ah...samaras! 4 Kraft Bags full?!! 😄 electric_blue68 Jul 17 #48

I must have been really tired last night... llmart Jul 18 #50

No problem electric_blue68 Jul 18 #56

We moved into our house about 35 years ago Mossfern Jul 17 #49

My childhood home had a ginormous oak tree maybe 10 feet away from the house. no_hypocrisy Jul 18 #51

wait for the future! lapfog_1 Jul 18 #52

Not a fan of large trees on home properties. I'm in GA, trees fall all the time tulipsandroses Jul 18 #53

Depends on the kinds of trees, their location, and how healthy they are. Ocelot II Jul 18 #54

Anyone read any headlines out of Nantucket recently? DFW Jul 18 #55