Back in July during that dry spell we had near Portland, a retired arborist named Jerry told me to haul buckets of water to my mature oaks twice a week. I figured he was wasting my time since those roots go so deep, but I tried it on two trees near my driveway and they dropped way fewer leaves than the rest. Anyone else get told some advice that sounded backwards but ended up working?
Had a street full of old silver maples on Maple Ave last Tuesday. Every single one had included bark and co-dominant stems. Wind came up at 11am and a 14 inch limb just snapped off while I was under it with the chipper. Close call. Then the truck overheated on the way back to the shop. Cost me $400 for a new radiator. And I still got complaints from the homeowner about leaving sawdust on her lawn. Anyone else have a string of bad luck like that?
I was working on a big old oak near Laurelhurst Park, probably 80 feet tall, and my boss at the time told me to stop doing thinning cuts and start using reduction cuts instead. He showed me how leaving a lateral branch at least a third of the diameter of the removed limb keeps the tree healthier and reduces storm damage later. It felt wrong at first, but after a few years I've seen way less failure on those trees I worked on back then. Has anyone else had a mentor change their mind on a basic cut type?
Bought a $40 rope off Amazon back in March to save some cash for a job in Portland. Second time using it, I found a flat spot near the tail end after a simple limb walk. Spent $120 on a real Yale rope the next day and the difference in feel is night and day. Anyone else waste money on gear that just wasnt worth the risk?
Back in 2019 I was working a job near Portland, thought I had the drop zone all figured out. But the wind shifted right as I made the final cut, and that maple swung sideways like it had a mind of its own. Took out about 40 feet of chain link fence, neighbor came running out yelling. Had to pay his guy $600 to fix it and felt like a fool for weeks. My old foreman taught me to always check the wind before a fell, but I got cocky that day because it was a simple straight shot. Now I throw a weighted line up there first just to see how the branches will move. Anyone else had a tree pull a fast one on them because of a surprise gust?
I was out with a crew in Portland last month taking down a 90 foot red oak in someone's backyard. The other climber was using a mechanical ascender with a Petzl setup, and I stuck with my standard Blake's hitch and a simple friction hitch. He kept fighting the rope running against the bark while I was able to adjust and stay smooth through the whole thing. The mechanical gear felt clunky on that rough bark compared to just using my hands. Has anyone else noticed a simpler hitch working better on those rough-barked trees?
Picked up a job clearing deadwood and raising the crown on a neglected tree in Denver, and after taking off maybe 20% of the canopy the whole thing looked wider and healthier. Has anyone else seen a tree bounce back that fast after a good thinning or was it just good timing with the growth cycle?
I was working a massive live oak in Austin last Tuesday when this younger arborist from another crew walks up and asks why I'm making my cuts so far from the collar. I told him I've been doing it this way since the 90s and nobody complained. He pulled out his phone and showed me a study from Texas A&M about decay rates with improper cuts. I was pretty embarrassed honestly. Has anyone else had a younger crew member teach them something that made you rethink your whole approach?
Had a buddy who would spike every tree he climbed for years, then a retired climber told me to only spike dead or hazard trees because it damages the cambium... well last month I spiked a healthy oak by habit and the customer pointed out the marks. Has anyone else had to break the spike habit?
I was manning a booth at the county fair in Yates County back in July, and this retired arborist named Walt stopped by. He looked at my pruning cuts on a display branch and said "You're leaving too much collar, son. That tree's gonna heal ugly." He spent 10 minutes showing me how to angle the cut just right with a handsaw he pulled from his truck. Has anyone else had a random run-in with an old-timer that totally changed how they do a basic cut?
Met this older guy at a job site in Portland who said using a rope and saddle setup takes the real skill out of tree work. He climbs spurs on everything, even removals near houses. I asked him what happens when the bark is thin or the tree is a heritage specimen. He just shrugged. Made me realize some folks treat tradition like it's the only way forward instead of picking the right tool for the job. Anyone else run into old school climbers who refuse to adapt?
I was helping out on a job in Rittenhouse Square, a big old oak that the city wanted trimmed back. The lead arborist on site was this older guy who's been at it for 40 years. He showed me how he marks every cut with chalk before he even picks up a saw. He explained how ONE bad cut can throw off the whole tree's balance for decades. I always thought I was careful, but watching him plan each branch removal like a chess game was wild. He told me most young guys rush and leave stubs that cause rot inside the tree. It was a real lesson in patience, and now I'm taking twice as long on my upper cuts. Anyone else have a mentor moment that totally changed your pruning style?
Put those cheap fabric wraps on 12 oaks last November and just pulled them off to find bark damage and rot on 8 of them. Anyone else have wraps trap moisture instead of protecting from frost?
Three years ago a guy named Pete at a local tree service watched me flush cut a branch on a maple and said "you're leaving that tree with no collar, it'll never seal right." He showed me how to leave the branch bark ridge intact and now my trees heal way faster with less rot. Any other arborists out there get schooled by someone about proper cut placement?
I was up in a 60 foot red oak in Racine, Wisconsin doing a top-down removal, and my 461 got wedged bad in a bind. I had to leave it hanging there and climb down to grab a second rope and a pulley to tension the branch free. It took me almost 45 minutes to get it unstuck without dropping the saw. Anyone else ever get their bar pinched that bad and have to get creative?
The homeowner was watching from the window and after the last cut she said 'I've never seen anyone make it look that easy' but honestly it was just good rigging and a little luck - anyone else have a day where everything just clicked like that?
Last month I was grinding a maple stump in Portland for a homeowner who wanted it 18 inches deep. I pushed back saying 6 inches was standard for grass. Turns out they were planting a privacy hedge there that needed deep root space. I spent 20 minutes arguing for nothing. Ended up dropping the grinder down to 14 inches and it took an extra hour but they were right. Anyone else ever had a customer teach you something you thought you knew better?
Went through two returns already so I'm wondering if I should just stick to manual saws for the high stuff, has anyone else had bad luck with telescoping poles failing on you?
I was removing a dead branch last week in Arlington and found a cable that had sawed halfway through the trunk because it was installed too tight. The whole tree has to come down now and the client is furious at who did it. Anyone else run into old botched cabling jobs coming back to haunt people?
Thought I could knock it out in an hour with the grinder. That thing had roots wrapped around a buried boulder the size of a cooler. Had to dig it out by hand with a shovel and an axe. Never again will I quote a job without checking for rocks first. Anybody got a trick for spotting hidden boulders before you start? I'm about ready to buy one of those probe rods.
I showed up at a job in Oak Park at 7am, a big silver maple that had split down the middle. By noon I had the whole thing on the ground with zero hiccups, the chipper never clogged once, and the customer brought out cold Gatorade. I spent the rest of the day waiting for something to go wrong and it just never did. Has anyone else had a job go so smooth you almost don't trust it?
I was reading a study from Purdue University last week that said pruning oaks during the growing season actually encourages faster wound closure compared to winter cuts. I always thought you had to wait until November to avoid oak wilt, but now I'm second-guessing. A buddy of mine swears by summer pruning and says his trees heal better, but the old-timers around here call it risky. Has anyone else seen different results depending on the season?
I was working a removal in a backyard in Portland last week where the tree was right up against the house and a fence. Couldn't get my normal rigging setup in there at all. Then I remembered this trick an old timer showed me where you tie a half hitch on the end of your rope and flip it over a high crotch before making your cut. Once the limb is cut, you just pull the rope and it swings the limb away from the house. I was skeptical at first because it looked too simple, but it worked perfectly. The limb came down clean without even brushing the siding. Saved me having to climb up and piece it out by hand. Anybody else use this method for tight spots or do you have a different go-to?
Was dropping a big hickory limb last Tuesday, maybe 12 inches thick, over a shed. Used my usual running bowline but I guess I dressed it wrong so it cinched down tight on the rope instead of the branch. When I cut the limb it swung hard and the rope slipped off the biner. Lucky the groundie was clear but I spent the rest of the day checking every knot. Anyone else had a hitch fail on them from just being tied sloppy?