Our Tree Dilemma
Kyle and I live on a small piece of property. 0.16 acres to be exact (according to the City of Hartford). On the 0.16 acres we have our house, a small driveway, a shed, some gardens and shrubs, a weeping cherry tree, a medium-sized maple tree, and 4 very large maple trees. We’ve got a lot going on for our tiny plot.
I must admit, we have a love/hate relationship with our 4 very large maple trees. We love the character that they give our neighborhood. We love the shade they provide our house in the summer when it’s August and we have no air conditioning. We love the pretty foliage they provide in the fall.
On the other hand, we hate that they are so close to our house that they provide a litany of squirrels direct access to walk all over our roofs and try to find ways to get in to our home. We hate that they run through the power lines connecting to our house. We hate that the roots make our slate sidewalks uneven. We hate that it is nearly impossible to grow much grass because there is so much shade. We hate that they clog our gutters with junk throughout the year, making them fairly ineffective unless Kyle enacts his gutter cleaning solution.
I like trees, I really do. I just wish that whoever planted these trees 100-ish years ago (our house is 99 years old this year) would have realized just how big they would grow and how they would loom over the house causing our “hate” issues.
Kyle and I are currently struggling with the decision to possibly cut down one of our trees. The one closest to our house, right next to the driveway. The one that runs through our power lines, mildews our house, and acts as a squirrel superhighway. This decision is causing us much consternation. We do not want to kill a tree. We do not want our neighbors hating us for killing a tree. If we decide to cut down this tree, it will not be replaced by another, simply because our yard cannot accommodate more trees without causing the same problems to recur.
So we are torn with what to do. We’ve spoken to one neighbor and they responded positively when we mentioned we were thinking about cutting down the tree. It blocks sun to their yard and impacts their flower and vegetable gardens. We would cut down on squirrel traffic on our house and a real problem spot with our gutters. It’s also the least healthy of our trees, as a previous owner that installed the driveway disturbed the root base, disallowing it from getting proper amounts of water and nutrition.
*Sigh* I don’t really know why I’m writing this post. Am I trying to get support to make us feel better about cutting down the tree? Am I trying to get readers to talk us out of our destructive decision? Maybe I am trying to see if others struggle with similar choices?
Thoughts, readers?
I think the benefits outweigh the negatives in this case. I would cut down the tree in this case, for all the reasons that you mentioned. Buh bye tree!
We had friends who struggled with the same issue…they decided to remove the tree and then had a beautiful dining room table and hutch made using the maple lumber from the tree.
We had a lovely 70-year-old oak in our backyard that shaded our house, provided exercise for the squirrels and dropped tons of leaves in the fall. When it split apart one night and had to be removed I grieved for 3 days. My grief was mitigated, however, by the sight of my children’s swings crushed beneath the fallen branches and the fact that the tree fell exactly between the house and garage – no structural damage! We had the stump fashioned into a little table, and tiny chairs carved from the branches.
It’s helpful to hear that others also struggle with these decisions.
We’re not sure what we’d do with the wood at this point. We’re wondering if it would be possible to donate it to Open Hearth or some other organization, but aren’t sure if that’s possible or not.
I’m facing the same decision – there is a venerable old maple at the back of my yard that is completely lopsided in terms of weight distribution. My neighbors have been asking me to cut it down for years and I’ve resisted.
I thought it was because they hate trees (they do), but they have more important reasons.
Last week a hefty branch fell. It landed on my yard, but another could easily have landed in my neighbors’ yard.
Right where their young daughter had been playing.
She could have been hurt; possibly killed.
The guy who will take down the tree promises that I will be able to purchase new shade trees of significant size (20′) to replace the ones that have fallen or been taken down, and I will.
Now I’m anxious for the tree to come down. I don’t want anyone to be hurt.
PS: I know a family in your neighborhood that could use some wood.
Julie- Cars or houses being hurt by trees is one thing, insurance typically takes care of it. People being hurt or killed by trees is completely different.
Last year I was walking Libby by the lower end of Elizabeth Park and saw a huge limb fall from one of the trees, right near where all of the children play on the playground equipment. Thankfully it was an overcast day and no one was there. We had gotten a significant amount of rain the day before and the limb was severely rotted. It just couldn’t take the water weight any more and finally dropped. The City did come within a few days to take away the limb and thankfully trim off the rest of the dead branches.
While I do appreciate the beauty of the huge trees that have grown in Hartford, I also have a slight fear of them during significant weather events.
I’ll email you about the person that would like some wood. Thanks for the heads up!
I would have a lot of trouble with this decision too. Looks like the tree is relatively healthy. My parents have their trees close to the house trimmed from time to time to keep the branches from sweeping the house. Personally, I would try just about every option before chopping it down.
Our arborist did trim its branches a few years ago. The squirrels persist because they are able to get on the electrical service to the house from the tree. He also told us that it’s the least healthy of our trees based on the fact that the driveway messed with its root system. We are still undecided at this point.