Advice on dealing with a Eucalyptus tree too close to house

[panfried]

Hi,

Can anyone offer advice on removing a large eucalpytus tree that is far too close to the house. The tree is approx 12-15 years old and about 8 metres tall - at the base it is about 12 inches out from the wall. We didn't plant it!!

I've been told by various "experts" to "leave it alone" , "take it down in one hit" or "take it down in stages". Can anyone offer some good advice on the best way to proceed with removal in such a way to minimise risk of subsidence?

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by panfried

Hi,

Can anyone offer advice on removing a large eucalpytus tree that is far too close to the house. The tree is approx 12-15 years old and about 8 metres tall - at the base it is about 12 inches out from the wall. We didn't plant it!!

I've been told by various "experts" to "leave it alone" , "take it down in one hit" or "take it down in stages". Can anyone offer some good advice on the best way to proceed with removal in such a way to minimise risk of subsidence?

that close to the house its a job for an expert tree surgeon - and i would leave it up to them how they deal with it - personally speaking i would climb and delimb it then take the trunk down in 2 or 3 sections making sure that these fell away from the house , then after dropping the last section i would cross cut the stump and apply triclopur (timbrel) mixed with a wetting agent to kill the root system - however i've been doing tree work as part of my job ( I work in conservation/RoW) for over ten years and like i say this is a job for a speciliast who will have insurance if anything did go ostrich shaped.

Note however that this wont be cheap - I'd expect to pay circa 500 notes depending on demand in your area - make sure that you get a propperly qualified tree surgeon ( look for them being a member of the guild of arborists, get refferences from previous customers, and ask to see their insurances documents) rather than a jobbing gardener who just happens to have a chainsaw.

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, and it's not just a matter of chopping it down - most eucalypts coppice very well!
On the other, this might be a saving grace - keep it coppiced and you will get masses of fresh juvenile foliage every year - some people actually prefer this ....

[Jez]

A tree surgeon will know best but as said don't completely remove it if it's liked. Never be willy nilly with trees we know.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by panfried

Hi,

Can anyone offer advice on removing a large eucalpytus tree that is far too close to the house. The tree is approx 12-15 years old and about 8 metres tall - at the base it is about 12 inches out from the wall. We didn't plant it!!

I've been told by various "experts" to "leave it alone" , "take it down in one hit" or "take it down in stages". Can anyone offer some good advice on the best way to proceed with removal in such a way to minimise risk of subsidence?

As others have said this is almost certainly a job for an expert, the only limitiation on that, that I would put is that there are a lot of cowboys claiming expertise and you can pay a lot of money for a poor job so if you do bring in a Tree Surgeon - check their credentials.

The tree has to go, at 30cms it is going to cause damage to the house if left as it is. Even coppiced which will reduce root growth, 30cms is way too close to a building for a tree vigorous enough to reach 8 metres in 15 years.

The main challenge with removing the tree is its overall weight - most 15 year old eucalyptus will not have developed huge trunk girth and probably have a fairly spindly canopy - if this is the case then cutting it down in controled sections should be relatively easy without exposing the house to any damage. Eucalyptus tend to be rather shallowly rooted compared to native trees which is probably good news for your foundations.

You could go with a strategy of having the trunk cut to close to soil level and then poisoning the stump, however it may be a safer option to have the roots removed, exposing the foundations and then having the foundations checked by a trustworthy builder to ensure there has not been any root damage.

CM

[medieval knievel]

from what little i've heard about felling trees near houses, one thing to be wary of is the ground swelling afterwards; trees pull moisture form the ground, so it's not unknown for the ground to get wetter and swell after a tree has been felled.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

You could go with a strategy of having the trunk cut to close to soil level and then poisoning the stump, however it may be a safer option to have the roots removed, exposing the foundations and then having the foundations checked by a trustworthy builder to ensure there has not been any root damage.

CM

i would have thought that the disturbance to the subsoil that close to the fouindations that root removal would involve would outwirgh the benefits of that course - tho it does depend if there are any signs of damage or if the removal is purely precautionary

[panfried]

Many thanks for the information - I think the concensus is that it needs to come down. If I can work out how to, I'll add some pictures so you can see what I'm up against!!

[panfried]

Here's the promised photo.

[eeyore]

thats a lot smaller than i had imagined - it still a tree surgeon job but much less complex - basically theyd lop off the three branches at the fork then fell the trunk at ground level and treat the stump

[naturallandscapes]

Cut it down and grind out tree stump, i do a lot of stump grinding for tree surgeons on jobs like this, as they get picked up on house surveys by insurance companies.

[dmf558]

We also have a eucalyptus tree about 20ft away from our house. It must be 50ft tall and we are considering having it felled and the stump ground out. The main problem we have with the tree is the constant loss of leaves. All year round leaves are turning a dark red colour and dropping off. We are always sweeping them up.
Do you need permission to remove Eucalyptus trees, are they protected?

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by panfried

Hi,

Can anyone offer advice on removing a large eucalpytus tree that is far too close to the house. The tree is approx 12-15 years old and about 8 metres tall - at the base it is about 12 inches out from the wall. We didn't plant it!!

I've been told by various "experts" to "leave it alone" , "take it down in one hit" or "take it down in stages". Can anyone offer some good advice on the best way to proceed with removal in such a way to minimise risk of subsidence?

Check out this site: Find an arborist :: tree-care.info
for help finding a reputable arboriculturist in your area.
T2

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by dmf558

We also have a eucalyptus tree about 20ft away from our house. It must be 50ft tall and we are considering having it felled and the stump ground out. The main problem we have with the tree is the constant loss of leaves. All year round leaves are turning a dark red colour and dropping off. We are always sweeping them up.
Do you need permission to remove Eucalyptus trees, are they protected?

There is no specific protection for Eucalyptus. If you are not in a conservation area and the tree is not subject to a Tree Preservation Order, and it is wholly on your property, you can do what you want with it. Check its status with your Local Authority's Tree Officer, and see my previous post for help finding a good professional to do the job.
Hope this helps.
T2

[Kayleigh]

See if you have "tree menders" in your area.
They will mend it good and proper.

[hobble]

Trees which are growing within 1.5m/5ft of lightly-loaded structures, such as garages or garden walls, can cause damage as their roots and trunks grow in diameter,
However, in the absence of shrinkable clay soils and providing a building has adequate foundations, there should be no risk of tree related subsidence damage.
(Info taken from my Tree Warden Handbook)