July 4th weekend I got some outside work done that was sorely needed. Sapling had really taken over the back of the property. I was noticeably mowing less, and I don't have very much property anyway, so I decided a bunch of them need to go. Another reason for thinning out the trees is that there are 3 black cherries growing back there. Although very tall, they do not do well when crowded and getting too much shade from other trees.
I had started by using hand loppers to get what I could (done the last weekend of June). Even some of those saplings were impressive in size as they were up to 15 feet tall. but with a trunk size of 3" or less. But, when I went to start my CL chainsaw, the beast wouldn't go, so I couldn't finish the job. I ordered a refurb'ed battery powered chainsaw ( pulling a gas powered saw's cord is very difficult for me) and it arrived before July 4 weekend, so I was in business.
The saplings I took down wer up to 25 feet tall.. I'll just show the before (after cutting with loppers in June) and after cutting with the chainsaw comparisons. First set is to the right as looking out the back door. (don't pay attention to the pile of limbs - I had already made 2 trips to the dump to get rid of the leavings so it is not indicative of anything)
A little to the left of the first pics - pretty much looking directly out the back door
To the left looking out the back door - note the white bird bath base sitting in the woods. When I moved in 3 years ago, it was clearly visible as it is in the "after" pic.
I didn't get any before/after comparisons in the yard past where the fence ends (there is another 30-40 feet, but you get the idea. All told, I took down 17 sapling from the back, and 3 very old lilacs that had been strangled by an Oriental Bittersweet in the front (just the chainsaw totals).
I limbed out all the saplings and took those to the brush pile at the dump. I cut up the trunks to 6-8' lengths and set them out with a sign for anyone that wanted to take them. I wasn't real hopeful as most of that was green wood (stated on the sign), but some was dead - and you never know what someone may find useful.
Tuesday after 4th of July, I took a vacation day and used that to take everything to the dump. It took 3 loads
I was going to make the fourth load the trunk material I had set by the side of the road, but just as I got home from the third load, a lady was finishing up loading her truck with it. I pulled up and told her of her great timing - this is the pile of wood that she scored.
Although more saplings need to come down, I am happy with the progress I made.
Very nice progress!
We did some cutting back of the giant arborvitaes out front last weekend. In the process cut down several saplings of weed trees that were growing up underneath and in between. Nothing of that size, but not small either. The arborvitaes need to come down too, I hate them, but they do their job of giving us some privacy so we're reluctant to pull them down till we have the funds to put up something to replace them. So we're dealing.......
Posted by: Ruth | July 17, 2016 at 09:34 AM
Three years? Wow! Sapplings can really take off in that length of time. As to pulling the cord on a gasoline-model chainsaw: The darned chainsaw probably outweighs you.
; )
Posted by: Cop Car | July 17, 2016 at 11:35 AM
CC - the northeast gets enough rain, and leaf litter helps fertilize and protect the starts, that trees will really take off - even after clear cutting.
Posted by: bogie | July 24, 2016 at 07:08 AM