Monkey Puzzle Tree - taking it down..?

Nine_Lives

We have a monkey puzzle tree which has gotten really quite tall. Without getting up there & measuring, i'd hazard a guess at 20ft perhaps. Maybe a bit more. I'm just trying to think of how many of me would = the tree & i'd reckon 3 for sure.

Then the concern is how far the roots would stretch. Without going out there in the dark & rain (can do this tomorrow when it brightens up a bit if needs be) i'd hazard a guess at the tree being a good 10mtrs from the house.

I'm guessing this is the world of tree surgeons & the like? How much could removal cost on this? Would it just be an idea to lob it off at the half-way point?

There's also another really big tree at the far corner of our garden which is even taller. From memory i think it's a connifer (sp?) which my mum was also considering having removed as she's weary of it falling into the house during high winds.

I can provide photos tomorrow if they would help.

fwor

It would be a shame to kill it, but if you're going to take it down it probably is best to do it now, as they grow very large (120ft plus) and live a long time (hundreds of years - some living over 1000 years).

Shame though, as they are distinctive, and they often get more interesting (e.g. putting up several parallel trunks) when they are older.

J_J_Carter

20' isn't that big! I'd be thinking £150 to get it cut down and stump ground.

Ken68

Perhaps free if someone has a woodburner.

Nine_Lives

fwor wrote: »

It would be a shame to kill it, but if you're going to take it down it probably is best to do it now, as they grow very large (120ft plus) and live a long time (hundreds of years - some living over 1000 years).

Shame though, as they are distinctive, and they often get more interesting (e.g. putting up several parallel trunks) when they are older.

I agree, it does look nice, it's sort of unusual & it's been there a while. I don't know how long. It wasn't there 26 years ago as that's when we moved in.

The concern though is that:
1) it'll just get out of hand & grow too big for the garden
2) the damage it could cause if high winds take it down
3) the damage the roots could cause, depending on A) what direction they're growing in and how far they're going.

Then there's the other tree at the corner of the garden, which IMO, has more of a chance to hit the house in high winds if it collapses.

J_J_Carter wrote: »

20' isn't that big! I'd be thinking £150 to get it cut down and stump ground.

It's all relative though really isn't it.

20ft may not be anything for an Amazonian forest
However 10 ft could be massive for someones garden. (10 wasn't a typo).
All depends on garden size & other factors.

Ken68 wrote: »

Perhaps free if someone has a woodburner.

Concern is also the roots & such. I don't know anything about plants & trees, that was my dads area & unfortunately he's no longer with us. It could be chopped down, but what if the roots could cause damage? This is my guess work, so if this isn't likely then all is good.


Anyway i've got a couple photos:

Tree at corner of garden:


Monkey puzzle tree:


1) You'll have to excuse the clutter, we're having a big clean out
2) The shed there is about 7ft in height to try & give some indication. The tree may actually be a tad under 20, 20, or a tad over 20ft.


EDIT: The photos are thumbnails, so you can click to enlarge.

Debnatric

We have a monkey puzzle tree in our front garden approx 8 feet from the house. The house was built in the 1930's and the tree probably planted about the same time - it currently stands at approx 30 foot.

When we had it examined by a tree specialist he advised that the roots in this kind of tree usually do no damage to foundations but if we decided to have it removed we may have a problem with upheaval so it was best to leave it be if it didn't need to come down.

Its a beautiful tree doesn't block out the light and always a talking point - I hope it will out live me and the house.

themull1

I thought that you had to make sure that there wasn't a preservation order on the tree before you do anything?

Nine_Lives

That's good news about the monkey puzzle tree then.

It's the connifer (is it that?) in the corner that worries me more. I'd rather chop it down as it's quite large & put up decent fencing instead.

themull1 wrote: »

I thought that you had to make sure that there wasn't a preservation order on the tree before you do anything?

We planted it, so why wouldn't we be able to remove it?

Ken68

After chainsawing down, the traditional route is to drill holes in the stump, pour in something caustic, or even strong weedkiller,then bung up so the birds/animals can't get at it. The roots will then gradually die off taking several years.
You could try digging out the live roots at the time but a grotty job.

Nine_Lives

Is it true that you can't chop a monkey puzzle tree down (as in trim it - reduce from say 20 ft to 10ft) because it either A) wont grow again full stop or wont grow properly again?

Or is that nonsense?

fwor

Die, conifer, die. It must go - it's IMO ugly and they grow fast.

The monkey puzzle is too attractive (again IMO) to chop in half or do anything with other than admire. If you chop it in the middle there's a good chance it will die, or just end up looking ugly.

As Debnatric says, they are lovely open trees, so they never generate too much shade.

[Edit: but you could take out some of the lower branches which seem to be interfering with your shed and pallet sculpture!]