# Need  ‘help’ trimming CEDAR TREES



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

In a couple of weeks we need to take at least 6 feet off the top of some large, over grown cedar trees. 
We have a good Stihl chainsaw  and good Friscar cutters to do the job. ( ladders, come alongs etc)
 The difficult part will be hard trimming these without killing them. Cedar trees don’t like to be hard trimmed and can die if cut into the core of the tree. The problem is that these trees are too wide also and need thinning out some. 

I’ved looked online on how to go about doing it but decided to see if anyone in this group has had any experience with this. 

I wish I had taken a picture of them but I didn’t. They are about 18 to 20 feet tall and about 8 to 10 feet wide. 

Deposal: My idea would be to make a huge pile of the trimmings. Cut them into sections and leave them until the end of the year and rent a wood chipper. That way I could make some cedar mulch to put around the gardens etc instead of trying to burn it all. 

We also have the option of burning it

Note:My husband will probably do most of the trimming from the top.( hopefully ) and I’ll do the sides. These articles state to make sure there are some green branches on each tip and not to cut into the dead core.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/prune-overgrown-cedar-64332.html

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/cedar/pruning-cedar-trees.htm

I’ve read not to take off more than 1/3 per year.


----------



## Don M. (May 21, 2018)

I also have gobs of Cedar trees, and have trimmed them back a bit.  Mostly, I trim the low lying branches so I can mow under/around them without getting a facefull.  If you are thinking about trimming the tops, you might look into renting a "bucket lift".  If you want to go up 15 feet, or so, to trim the tops, that could be rather dicey, or even dangerous, trying to use a ladder....as there is probably little support for a ladder.  And, trying to use a chainsaw while perched on a ladder is Very Dangerous.  Check around to see if you have a tool rental shop in your area...renting a lift could well prove to be worth it to avoid an serious accident.


----------



## IKE (May 21, 2018)

Be careful Keesha !


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

Don M. said:


> I also have gobs of Cedar trees, and have trimmed them back a bit.  Mostly, I trim the low lying branches so I can mow under/around them without getting a facefull.  If you are thinking about trimming the tops, you might look into renting a "bucket lift".  If you want to go up 15 feet, or so, to trim the tops, that could be rather dicey, or even dangerous, trying to use a ladder....as there is probably little support for a ladder.  And, trying to use a chainsaw while perched on a ladder is Very Dangerous.  Check around to see if you have a tool rental shop in your area...renting a lift could well prove to be worth it to avoid an serious accident.



Yes, you are right, it would be very dangerous which is why I’m asking for help. 
Trimming the lower branches is a good idea however these are cedars that were  planted  for privacy but were not maintained. 
It looks as if they have forfeited that option. Something to seriously consider fir sure. 

Ok are ‘bucket lifts’ the same things as cherry pickers? Or are they the things that the guys who work on electrical posts and wires? It’s a man bucket attached to  a hydolic ladder ?
Thats a very good idea Don. We weren’t smart enough to think of that . 
Yes!!!!  There IS a tool rental place close by.

Thank you !


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

IKE said:


> Be careful Keesha !
> 
> View attachment 52347
> 
> View attachment 52346



Ok I might be a bit daft but geez IKE... lol


----------



## RadishRose (May 21, 2018)

I'm no arborist and my post is probably driven by fear of heights, but I agree with Don; using a chainsaw while on a ladder does sound very dangerous. I'd go for the lift.

I really like your idea of dealing with the trimmings, rather than burning them. You'll love that nice cedar mulch.


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

RadishRose said:


> I'm no arborist and my post is probably driven by fear of heights, but I agree with Don; using a chainsaw while on a ladder does sound very dangerous. I'd go for the lift.
> 
> I really like your idea of dealing with the trimmings, rather than burning them. You'll love that nice cedar mulch.



Your post is given and received from wisdom and I thank you RaddishRose. It is very dangerous and the bucket is really the only way to go.  Cedar  mulch, not only smells heavenly, but is a natural insecticide .
It’s a win win.


----------



## needshave (May 21, 2018)

Keesha,

I rent a 40' & 60" boom lift to work on my buildings and trim the trees. The 60' is a double acting boom lift which is extremely helpful when you are trying to get to a particular area. The lifts are four-wheel drive. They are very safe and agile, but like anything else, common sense comes into place and is required. The lifts are equipped with a sensor when if placed in a position that will make the unit "Tippy" and alarm will go off and the boom will not function. Most have ac power converters in the bucket that will allow tools to be used up to 15 amps. All of mine have been diesel. Home depot does not have these larger units. I get mine from Sun Belt Rental and Skyworks. They will give you an introduction and training to the machine. Best wishes.


----------



## NancyNGA (May 21, 2018)

Boom lift! Wow!!!. Good luck on your trees, Keesha. I know you will do a good job and do it the right way.

I have some cedars I've trimmed at the bottom to mow under too, like Don, but they are getting too wide at the top.  First serious ice storm they will go down.  I'd like to slim them up a bit, but don't think it's possible without hiring someone. Small job.  No one will want to do it.


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

needshave said:


> Keesha,
> 
> I rent a 40' & 60" boom lift to work on my buildings and trim the trees. The 60' is a double acting boom lift which is extremely helpful when you are trying to get to a particular area. The lifts are four-wheel drive. They are very safe and agile, but like anything else, common sense comes into place and is required. The lifts are equipped with a sensor when if placed in a position that will make the unit "Tippy" and alarm will go off and the boom will not function. Most have ac power converters in the bucket that will allow tools to be used up to 15 amps. All of mine have been diesel. Home depot does not have these larger units. I get mine from Sun Belt Rental and Skyworks. They will give you an introduction and training to the machine. Best wishes.



A boom lift. I think this is what Don was referring to. That’s a great thing to point out is it’s stability. The ground is sand based so isn’t very stable but this might play into our use in this case so cool. That is the kind of thing we need. 
See! I’m so glad I posted here. 
Thats very helpful thank you needshave.


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

NancyNGA said:


> Boom lift! Wow!!!. Good luck on your trees, Keesha. I know you will do a good job and do it the right way.
> 
> I have some cedars I've trimmed at the bottom to mow under too, like Don, but they are getting too wide at the top.  First serious ice storm they will go down.  I'd like to slim them up a bit, but don't think it's possible without hiring someone. Small job.  No one will want to do it.



Thanks for the support Nancy. The weather IS a big consideration which is why this needs doing. I DO like the idea of trimming the trees at the bottom. Cedars actually take well to  that type of trimming and look great while being more functional for mowing. That’s what we did with our cedars at the front of our property.

Its not the kind of work a lot of people want to do Nancy. Awwww! If I lived closer to you I would do yours :love_heart:


----------



## Ken N Tx (May 21, 2018)

We have a member here called treeguy64, I believe this is his line of work, send him a PM..

Edit: I sent him a message for help..


----------



## Don M. (May 21, 2018)

Keesha said:


> Ok are ‘bucket lifts’ the same things as cherry pickers? Or are they the things that the guys who work on electrical posts and wires? It’s a man bucket attached to  a hydolic ladder ?



Yup...these rigs are called cherry pickers, bucket lifts, boom lifts, and probably a couple of other names.  They are the ONLY way, IMO, to work safely at heights...especially when using a chainsaw.  They can seem a bit "wobbly" the first time you get on one, but with a little practice, they quickly become easy to use.  They all come with good "outriggers" to stabilize the power unit on the ground, and then you hop in the bucket, and operate the controls on the bucket panel.  Some of them can reach up to 60 feet, but for your purpose, just look for one that goes up about 30 ft.  

A chainsaw is probably The Most Dangerous power tool that most people ever try to use, and it doesn't pay to try to take any "shortcuts" when using one....certainly one should Never try to chainsaw from a ladder.


----------



## Ken N Tx (May 21, 2018)

Don M. said:


> Yup...these rigs are called cherry pickers, bucket lifts, boom lifts, and probably a couple of other names.  They are the ONLY way, IMO, to work safely at heights...especially when using a chainsaw.  They can seem a bit "wobbly" the first time you get on one, but with a little practice, they quickly become easy to use.  They all come with good "outriggers" to stabilize the power unit on the ground, and then you hop in the bucket, and operate the controls on the bucket panel.  Some of them can reach up to 60 feet, but for your purpose, just look for one that goes up about 30 ft.
> 
> A chainsaw is probably The Most Dangerous power tool that most people ever try to use, and it doesn't pay to try to take any "shortcuts" when using one....certainly one should Never try to chainsaw from a ladder.


----------



## Ken N Tx (May 21, 2018)

Antique saw..


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

Don M. said:


> Yup...these rigs are called cherry pickers, bucket lifts, boom lifts, and probably a couple of other names.  They are the ONLY way, IMO, to work safely at heights...especially when using a chainsaw.  They can seem a bit "wobbly" the first time you get on one, but with a little practice, they quickly become easy to use.  They all come with good "outriggers" to stabilize the power unit on the ground, and then you hop in the bucket, and operate the controls on the bucket panel.  Some of them can reach up to 60 feet, but for your purpose, just look for one that goes up about 30 ft.
> 
> A chainsaw is probably The Most Dangerous power tool that most people ever try to use, and it doesn't pay to try to take any "shortcuts" when using one....certainly one should Never try to chainsaw from a ladder.



The last sentence of your post is starting to haunt me because my husband goes up a ladder with his chainsaw ALL the time and while he’s got great insurance coverage , I’m not  quite ready to lose him yet.
What ticks me off most,  is that he doesn’t like me going up ladders at all. Oh boy! Wait till he gets home. :waiting:


----------



## treeguy64 (May 21, 2018)

I am a Certified Arborist, ISA.  I have over thirty-five years of experience working in and on trees.  Without seeing your trees, it is difficult to give accurate advice.  However, under no circumstances should you "top" your trees.  Topping refers to arbitrarily cutting off the tops of trees, ignoring proper arboricultural procedure per ANSI standards.  Topping destroys trees that would otherwise remain healthy for years to come.  Trimming while standing on a ladder is a fool's act.  I get fatality reports, monthly, for my profession.  Homeowners routinely show up in these reports and, more often than not, they die after falling from a ladder, while trimming a tree.  You are well-advised to seek out a Certified Arborist who can come out and do the job, correctly.


----------



## treeguy64 (May 21, 2018)

Regarding lifts:  Do not think you just "hop in, and go up!"  You MUST wear a harness that ties you into the support arm or dedicated tie-in rack in the bucket.  You must have a proper fall arrest harness with a decelerator strap, for safety, and all other proper PPE.  There is too much info for me to impart to those who are not in my biz, in the space of this forum.  I again caution you to hire a Certified Arborist and his/her crew to do the job properly and safely.  Reading most of the posts, in this thread, is very scary.  There is so much misinformation from those who, apparently, believe they know what they're talking about. Trust me, they most certainly don't!


----------



## Keesha (May 21, 2018)

treeguy64 said:


> I am a Certified Arborist, ISA.  I have over thirty-five years of experience working in and on trees.  Without seeing your trees, it is difficult to give accurate advice.  However, under no circumstances should you "top" your trees.  Topping refers to arbitrarily cutting off the tops of trees, ignoring proper arboricultural procedure per ANSI standards.  Topping destroys trees that would otherwise remain healthy for years to come.  Trimming while standing on a ladder is a fool's act.  I get fatality reports, monthly, for my profession.  Homeowners routinely show up in these reports and, more often than not, they die after falling from a ladder, while trimming a tree.  You are well-advised to seek out a Certified Arborist who can come out and do the job, correctly.



Topping the trees won’t be done. I think it will take a lot of work and the trees will most likely die or become diseased. 
My man has stood on ladders to saw trees for almost 20 years now. He usually ties himself off but not always. My guy never follows safety rules and just the fact that I offered him this tidbit of info about safety only just ticked him off. He can be ridiculously stubborn at times.


----------



## RadishRose (May 21, 2018)

Glad you changed you mind about topping off.


----------



## treeguy64 (May 21, 2018)

Keesha said:


> Topping the trees won’t be done. I think it will take a lot of work and the trees will most likely die or become diseased.
> My man has stood on ladders to saw trees for almost 20 years now. He usually ties himself off but not always. My guy never follows safety rules and just the fact that I offered him this tidbit of info about safety only just ticked him off. He can be ridiculously stubborn at times.



You can access the fatality reports by going to the TCIA site, and finding them, yourself, in its monthly magazine.  Typically, the very young, new guys, and the very old (and I'm sure) "I know what I'm doing" types, are the ones who bite the dust.  If your guy ties in, that's OK, as long as he is doing it correctly.  "Usually" is the operative word in your post, though.  It only takes one time to fall and die.  Hope I don't read about him in the months to come.


----------



## Keesha (May 22, 2018)

treeguy64 said:


> You can access the fatality reports by going to the TCIA site, and finding them, yourself, in its monthly magazine.  Typically, the very young, new guys, and the very old (and I'm sure) "I know what I'm doing" types, are the ones who bite the dust.  If your guy ties in, that's OK, as long as he is doing it correctly.  "Usually" is the operative word in your post, though.  It only takes one time to fall and die.  Hope I don't read about him in the months to come.


You are right treeguy. It only takes once to slip, fall and be killed but I honestly have to give him credit that he knows what he’s doing. We’ve been cutting down trees for years and most of them were far bigger than these cedar trees. 
He uses thick ratchet straps with chains so he can attach them safely. He also has another ratchet cable for pulling which is usually my job. Some of these trees are huge and cranking on the come along can get my heart racing at times but the trees fall so gracefully that it’s a total thrill. Even hearing the swoosh of  the leaves before hearing and feeling the big thud as it hits the ground is pretty exciting.  I HAVE to have trust in this guy cause I’m his ‘only’ helper and if I don’t help then he’s on his own. That would be scarier for me cause he needs help. He needs to feel confident in what he’s doing and I don’t want to take that away from him.

The last thing I want to do is cause my man to lose his self confidence. I can talk until I’m blue in the face and he’s gonna do what he wants anyway. We both equally stubborn but I have to give him lots of credit cause he’s cut down probably about 50 plus trees so far and the only thing I’ve seen him mess up on is getting his saw stuck. 

Last year our neighbours hired a crew to cut down one tree and the only thing they did differently was that the team pulled him up so he could tie himself off whereas I can’t possibly do that with him all by myself. I’m not strong enough.

 His straps look similar to these things. 
I guess we are both a bit crazy!


----------



## IKE (May 22, 2018)

Just take it slow, be careful and watch out for each other and you'll be fine......good luck.


----------

