WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2023

Hi,

You've got my sympathies @Perki removing a cherry laurel; here's mine I removed;


Five hard days to get this cherry laurel out; just one of them. Anyone planting cherry laurels this is what can happen as the years pass by; this must be around 60 years old.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hand weeding this morning as the sun is shielded by high clouds. After two hours my garden refuse bin was full and my tank was empty.

 

Hi,

Thanks @Loofah yes I wanted this out and all the rest it being only one part of 60' long double hedging mostly cherry laurel; I didn't just want to cut these down to ground level because they'd only grow again; I worked entirely on my own using spade and hydraulic jacks; four jacks giving a total 24 tons of lift. I'm now 75 and have just been to the top of a 43' tall tree rigging felling ropes again on my own.


These were much taller until I kept reducing their height year on year at this height I decided enough of this regular difficult job I'll get rid or it all.
Cherry laurels are poisonous even the fumes given off inside the car wasn't pleasant so I drove with the car windows open taking many trips to the tip. The logs went to a wood-burning neighbour.

This is much better; our top meadow; I've this year created another meadow just to the left in the middle of the garden.

I'm just enjoying a mug of tea and lump of cake before resuming hostilities up the mountain.

Have you any more cherry laurels to take out @Loofah if so the best of luck.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

I planted more French Beans, until it started raining.
Will be going out soon in a Snail hunt

 

I'm going to try this, but only have a few hundred left.

 

Hi,

Just enjoying another mug of tea before doing a bit more work. It's been a busy morning; climbing to the top of the huge oak tree to attach ropes and a 2,500Lb winch. one rope each to the sides these preventing it falling sideways; one long rope up the garden attached to the winch all three tensioned and securely anchored; a fourth long rope right up the garden this to be the pulling rope; unless a rope snapped the tree could now only fall one way.

With everything tight and double checked for security I fired up my petrol 20" chainsaw and cut the wedge taking a lot of care to get this in perfect alignment then I started the back cut; by now I was wet with sweat and wet with rain; first rain for ages and it would rain at this moment even though I was glad of it. Having cut the wedge and with lots of difficulty keeping my footing I decided to tie a short light rope around the trunk at wedge base; this now was my guide for back cutting. It took three attempts at cutting taking my time each time wandering up the mountain to give the rope a good pull and to adjust the winch which now had some slack indicating movement; the third cut and a powerful pull on the rope the oak came down with a loud crash.
Working entirely on my own it's now safely down exactly where intended.


One of the anchors being hammered in to a strong stump.


Amazing view from the top right along and across the valley as I climbed up with the ropes. Note all the really thick heavy long branches are removed making the tree much narrower.

No fuss no drama it landed where required.
The garden is 60' wide and even with all the really long bottom branches removed it occupied half the garden landing on the bottom section of the middle meadow.
More heavy work; I'm about to wander up the garden with the chainsaw.

The hinge nicely cut; the light rope worked a treat as a guide cutting an inch above it.

Since starting work felling this oak I've come under criticism; been insulted and personally offended and treated in an unfriendly manner by certain forum members because I intended to fell this oak tree; I don't accept such posts with grace; two members now added to my "Ignore" list bringing the total up to three; if you can't play fair then play without me.

To all other members many thanks your comments are very much appreciated.

The tree is now down with logging and shredding still to do but I can now end this chapter and spend more time on the two stringed instrument forums I'm a member of; at 75 I'm learning to play a violin and am also learning to sight read from music scores; I'm enjoying doing this it being a very interesting challenge.

Sorry @wiseowl dropping this oak but there's the second equally large oak still standing so you've somewhere new from tonight.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

"Since starting work felling this oak I've come under criticism; been insulted and personally offended and treated in an unfriendly manner by certain forum members because I intended to fell this oak tree; I don't accept such posts with grace; two members now added to my "Ignore" list bringing the total up to three; if you can't play fair then play without me."

Sounds good to me,

 

Dug up some bulbs to give away, then back to planting up the area cleared of trees last December, mainly shrubs and small trees of interest to me, so quite a few have thorns. Another half dozen to go and then some annuals and perennials to go in tomorrow. Bulbs to follow later.
The squirrels are still sulking over the tree removal and have hardly been seen since. The pigeons have moved to the oak trees. The crows are still happily living in the Norway spruce, a couple of youngsters have been seen recently.

 

Hi,

Perhaps those of you unhappy about me felling this oak tree might be more happy with these;


An 80' tall conifer wind damaged it being incredibly dangerous to get fully down in dire working conditions; would it have been better had it blown onto our bungalow.


Another 80' tall fir tree causing constant complaints and nagging by our immediate neighbour it wafting around dangerously in high wind.


Or maybe this 50' tall Crack Willow wind damaged last February roped to prevent it being blown into neighbours garden; oh how I love all this tree work mostly in winter.

Now in summer for a change take down one towering huge oak tree the trunk only 20' away from our kitchen wall.

Do I await a winter for it to come down possibly seriously injuring or killing someone if it comes down towards the bungalow.

Constant pigeon mess meaning daily cleaning up.

16 x heavy bags of acorns to collect and dispose of making our patio an hard hat area.

Masses of Oak leaves many on the roof and blocking gutters.

Bits falling from it onto the patio when wet leaving many unsightly brown stains.

Two safety handrails to steps we can't use due to daily pigeon mess unless cleaned daily.

Walking pigeon mess into our immaculate home not only on shoes but on clothes it being toxic stuff.

I'm being singled out because I've felled one oak tree but another member felled over 30 assorted trees and not criticized; good luck to this member they were his trees.

Yes @wiseowl I'm extremely proud of everything I do because I do my very best at everything; I'm not ashamed of it and taking this oak tree down wasn't done on a whim; it became too much of a pest affecting our daily lives in a negative way; living here in the UK whatever is done there are those always against it.

 

Well done @Retired with removing the oak tree, it was too close to your bungalow. Around here there's houses being built and they cut down trees to build them. It's a stupid place to build right in-between 2 busy roads. No front or back garden see of and they're in a dip and probably get flooded in the winter.
The industrial estate here was built and they cut down a wood to do it.

Didn't do anything in the garden today, had a rest and went to see my friend Marion and her partner Barry.

 

Sort out compost heaps, plant annuals, tidy greenhouse and water.

 

Hi,

Many thanks and well said Logan; much appreciated.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi Retired, I won't get into the rights or wrongs of Tree felling.
I was like you at one time, always on the go doing jobs around the house and garden, well until Long Covid hit me.
Now I can only do a 10 min job and have a rest. My energy levels are very low and won't get better.