Tag: Trees

When a Tree Becomes a Monster

~ Sandi Staton

I love trees. And when we moved here, there were none except for a mighty few. So we planted trees. Lots of trees. Everywhere.

Thirty years ago they were just little twigs. Today, they are monsters . . . especially the one planted right beside the house. A Bradford. With giant limbs stretching across our roof and the neighbor’s house and driveway. It’s a nuisance to us and to them. It’s got to come down. In the meantime, Buck is going to cut off as many limbs as he can. But it’s going to take a skilled professional to take it all the way down.

We didn’t plant trees to cut them down. But we were young and dumb and thought all trees were created equal. They’re not. Some trees are better left in the forest, like the Bradford. It may or may not grow in the forest but if it does, that’s where it should stay.

This is not good.
Not good at all.
Really not good. The tree’s bigger than our house and we have little trees growing in the gutters.
It’s got to come down. SOON!
It was so little when we planted it.
It’s a mighty big tree.
Now it’s way too big.
Too close for comfort.


So, my advice to anyone wanting to plant trees, do your research and find out what to plant and what not to plant. and trust me, a Bradford is one tree you do not want to plant!

Bradford’s in all their glory.
But they are weak and fragile.
One little ice storm can destroy a Bradford and create a big mess.
One of four trees down in one day during an ice storm.
One of four trees down in one day during an ice storm.
Couldn’t get out the driveway that day. A kind neighbor across the road cut it up for us.
Another tree down during an ice storm.
Close up of the tree pinning us in.
This one came down during a rain storm.
Same tree, different angle.

 

Why I Don’t Like Bradford Pear Trees

~ Sandi Staton
Bradford’s in all their glory.

We thought it would be cool to line both sides of our driveway with Bradford Pears. They’re beautiful, right? And fast growing and create lots of shade, too.

When we moved here thirty-plus years ago, it was a fairly new development. Farm land, to be exact. Hilly and treeless except for a few cedar trees the developer didn’t bulldoze down. Oh, and several Honey Locust trees with long, sharp thorns. Messy, too. Every time the wind blows, limbs fall all over the ground. But they bloom in the spring and create some shade, so we like them okay. We just have to be careful when we prune them. Those stickers hurt!

But the Bradford is a real beauty and laden with white flowers like cotton balls in the early spring. One of the first to sprout new leaves and one of the last to lose them. Perfect for any yard.

Until rain turns to ice.

Now, we want to have them all cut down, but that will cost a small fortune. No worries, though. From the looks of things, we can just wait and let nature take them down for free.

Bradford’s in all their glory.
But they are weak and fragile.
Couldn’t get out the driveway that day. A kind neighbor across the road cut it up for us.
Close up of the tree pinning us in.
If you look closely to the left, you can see the branches of one of the four trees that were down.
One of four trees down in one day during an ice storm.
One little ice storm can destroy a Bradford and create a big mess.
Another tree down during an ice storm.
One of four trees down in one day during an ice storm.
Same tree, different angle.
This one came down during a rain storm.

We’ve planted many trees in the yard over the years: Pin Oaks, Maples, Hybrid Poplars (big mistake. The Poplars grow fast but die young), but the Crepe Myrtles are my favorite. They’re not messy, their leaves are small, they’re easy to prune, and they bloom from early summer to late fall. Very friendly trees. Beautiful, too.