Tree Trimming

[longhorn]

I have several very large trees which need to be trimmed. Has anyone used a good, and preferably reasonably priced, tree trimming service in the Heights? Thanks in advance for any input.

[zandago]

I've used Andrew Ashby for some tree trimming of some big oaks in my front yard a while ago. He did great work for us that was reasonably priced. Certified arborist so he's knowledgeable on how to trim a tree without harming it.

Andrew Ashby

Arbor And Forestry Associates

ISA Certified Arborist # TX-3311A

832.275.3147

andrewashby@arborforestry.com

[dbigtex56]

I have several very large trees which need to be trimmed. Has anyone used a good, and preferably reasonably priced, tree trimming service in the Heights? Thanks in advance for any input.

Thanks for a timely reminder. Hurricane season starts in less than a month, and now is the time to make sure that trees have been trimmed well away from utility lines.

[heights]

I've used Andrew Ashby for some tree trimming of some big oaks in my front yard a while ago. He did great work for us that was reasonably priced. Certified arborist so he's knowledgeable on how to trim a tree without harming it.

Andrew Ashby

Arbor And Forestry Associates

ISA Certified Arborist # TX-3311A

832.275.3147

andrewashby@arborforestry.com

I've been putting off getting trees trimmed for several years but I finally decided this week that it needed to be done. I searched HAIF and found this recommendation. I called Andrew and he said that it is generally preferable to prune trees in the winter, but he said he would come by and take a look. He called me and made recommendations for minimal trimming to get the trees away from the house and the power line. He also quoted reasonable prices (on par with what the neighbor's "lawn guy" wanted). I felt comfortable knowing that Andrew is a Certified Arborist and that he is fully insured.

Andrew and his crew showed up today and did a great job on the trees. He observed that one of the Crepe Myrtle trees was quite stressed with some dead branches and said he wanted to wait until it bloomed to see what needs to be pruned. He said that he would check back by and take care of that as he is in the neighborhood frequently. They cleaned up all the branches and hauled them off.

If anyone else is looking for tree maintenance from someone that cares about the trees, give Andrew a call.

[sidegate]

Thanks for a timely reminder. Hurricane season starts in less than a month, and now is the time to make sure that trees have been trimmed well away from utility lines.

Reliant does a pretty good job of that. They asymmetrically trimmed (read: butchered) two very mature, shady trees in my back yard to the point I had to cut them down completely.

[MOpens]

Reliant does a pretty good job of that. They asymmetrically trimmed (read: butchered) two very mature, shady trees in my back yard to the point I had to cut them down completely.

CenterPoint, not Reliant. It's fun to look at the HL&P family tree (pun intended) since deregulation. CenterPoint is the only piece that one could even argue is the survivor of the old HL&P. The other pieces have been bought, sold, and split into various smaller pieces that they are hard to recognize. Reliant (today's version) is a retail supplier owned by NRG and has nothing to do with maintaining the wires.

[heights]

Reliant does a pretty good job of that. They asymmetrically trimmed (read: butchered) two very mature, shady trees in my back yard to the point I had to cut them down completely.

Andrew pointed out that some of the problems with the one Crepe Myrtle (and one of my Magnolias) were likely caused by the power company butchering the top of the trees to keep them out of the power lines. Every time I see one of those Asplundh trucks I always say "Ass-plunder"

[sidegate]

CenterPoint, not Reliant. It's fun to look at the HL&P family tree (pun intended) since deregulation. CenterPoint is the only piece that one could even argue is the survivor of the old HL&P. The other pieces have been bought, sold, and split into various smaller pieces that they are hard to recognize. Reliant (today's version) is a retail supplier owned by NRG and has nothing to do with maintaining the wires.

You're right, Centerpoint. Still doesn't make me less frustrated that my trees are history.

[crunchtastic]

Thanks for sharing another tree outfit that has a competent arborist. Mine were done today, actually (gi-normous pecan, sweet gum and live oak). I use and recommend Champion Tree Preservation (281-320-8201).

Proper tree maintenance can be expensive if you have big ones, but trust me, spending a thousand bucks every other year beats what happened to many of my neighbors during Ike. A dude with a chainsaw and a truck during heavy trash week probably doesn't know much about correct pruning.

[Heightsite]

Centerpoint has contracted tree trimmers to clear limbs from power lines in the Heights. I noticed on Oxford yesterday that most trees now look like giant slingshots as they've cut the tree to look like a giant "U" where the trunk should be. I could understand cutting trees in non-residential areas that way, but don't know if that's the only choice in trimming, particularly in a residential area. While I'm glad to see preventive measures, I'm concerned about the trees' health after this chop job. This seems really aggressive and potentially damaging to the tree. If you live on the powerline side and have trees, they're coming your way.

[Ross]

Centerpoint has contracted tree trimmers to clear limbs from power lines in the Heights. I noticed on Oxford yesterday that most trees now look like giant slingshots as they've cut the tree to look like a giant "U" where the trunk should be. I could understand cutting trees in non-residential areas that way, but don't know if that's the only choice in trimming, particularly in a residential area. While I'm glad to see preventive measures, I'm concerned about the trees' health after this chop job. This seems really aggressive and potentially damaging to the tree. If you live on the powerline side and have trees, they're coming your way.

Centerpoint's goal is to get the trees away from power lines, regardless of what you, the homeowner think. If you want some say in the mater, get your own trimmers out.

[s3mh]

Centerpoint's goal is to get the trees away from power lines, regardless of what you, the homeowner think. If you want some say in the mater, get your own trimmers out.

If centerpoint doesn't consider a tree's health when triming trees, they are just creating much bigger problems down the road. any half decent tree service knows how to trim a tree in a way that maintains the health of the tree.

[RedScare]

Who said Centerpoint is not considering the tree's health when trimming? This is called jumping to conclusions without any facts to support them. Further, any tree that must be trimmed by Centerpoint is in their right of way in the first place. Any homeowner who plants trees in the right of way is asking for trouble down the road and is in no position to complain when Centerpoint cuts the trees. I'll trade my 17 day power outage from Ike for Centerpoint's tree cutters any day.

[s3mh]

Who said Centerpoint is not considering the tree's health when trimming? This is called jumping to conclusions without any facts to support them. Further, any tree that must be trimmed by Centerpoint is in their right of way in the first place. Any homeowner who plants trees in the right of way is asking for trouble down the road and is in no position to complain when Centerpoint cuts the trees. I'll trade my 17 day power outage from Ike for Centerpoint's tree cutters any day.

You do know that many trees in the Heights were planted before many of us were born? And trees also have branches that can grow out from a trunk and onto the utility easement.

A branch falling on a powerline is a problem. A tree falling on a powerline is a major problem. If you cut giant U shape cuts into trees, you can damage the tree and end up with a diseased and rotting tree that is one good storm from taking out a row of power lines. They can hack up trees to avoid a small power outage this year, but end up with a major outage ten and twenty years later when the tree succumbs to stress and goes down in a storm. Most trees I saw come down during Ike had hollow trunks from disease and decay. Bad trimming is a great way to get a tree in that kind of condition.

[RedScare]

Good to see that you ignored my question while restating the obvious. Show me where Centerpoint is abusing the trees and we'll discuss it. Otherwise, you are jumping to conclusions again, just as you do in the other topics you post in.

[samagon]

They came through eastwood in January, did a lot of trimming. I am sure the primary goal is safety, and the secondary goal is speed, and the tertiary goal is tree health, if it even ranks that high.

I have a very old pecan tree (probably as old as the house, which will be 81 this year), the first thing I did when I bought the house was call in a tree trimming service to thin it out, and when they did, they trimmed it back from the power lines (which probably didn't exist at the time the tree was planted), the result was that when reliant came through cutting trees, they didn't touch my (well I call it mine, cause it's on my property) pecan tree.

I did some very rudimentary searches on line for easement, right of way and that sort of thing as it relates to Houston and power lines, but couldn't find much.

I do think though that they have to ensure primarily personal safety of those that live around the power lines, and secondarily, they want to ensure that in the event of a tree fall, that it won't take power out. You don't have to be climbing in a tree and accidentally touch a power line to be shocked, there is always a chance that if a limb is touching a line, that power could flow through the tree and severely injure a person on the ground.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain that there are restrictions and easements and right of ways that the power line owner has domain over, and if you let your trees grow into these right of ways, they have every right to come in and clear it out, no matter the result to the tree. Again, I didn't find anything online, so this is just what I would assume to be the case.

Assuming this is the case, you probably have a few options (none of which are very good after the fact):

1. have a service come out to trim the tree, they will cut it away from the power lines, and thin the rest of it so it remains healthy.

2. remove the tree, plant a new one farther away from the power line. (this introduces the opportunity to see cranes, the sunset, and have a garden, but then your neighbors that live in the 23 story condo behind your house can look at you in your backyard).

[s3mh]

Good to see that you ignored my question while restating the obvious. Show me where Centerpoint is abusing the trees and we'll discuss it. Otherwise, you are jumping to conclusions again, just as you do in the other topics you post in.

Ummmm... Did you read the first post? While I am not an arborist, I am certain the trimming described is not how to trim a tree and maintain its health. It is how to quickly and cheaply hack limbs away from powerlines.

[samagon]

makes a person wonder what happened to this proposed ordinance?

[MOpens]

And trees also have branches that can grow out from a trunk and onto the utility easement.

Are you suggesting (gasp) that we have property rights in those branches that grow out into a utility easement? I did not realize that you supported property rights. But I guess you make a distinction between your tree and my house (and many of my neighbors' houses), or your tree and the soon-to-be-developed commercial property owned by someone else.

I agree with samagon - you want trees trimmed your way, hire someone. Pay extra money for the trim job you want, but regardless it will have to meet the standards set by CenterPoint.

[RedScare]

As MOpens suggests, if you support letting others control the front door that I put on my house, I certainly favor letting Centerpoint control the electricity that comes into mine. Like samagon and others, I trim my trees to keep them from interfering with the power lines behind my house. Those that refuse to do so may simply admire the handiwork of Centerpoint instead.

By the way, the initial post makes it sound like the tree is growing in the right of way, as tree trunks do not grow sideways. They are lucky Centerpoint did not cut it down completely.

[SilverJK]

I'd pay Centerpoint a few hundred bucks to cut down my massive Pine Tree in my yard that is growing all above the lines. I hate that dumb tree. The "U" cut mentioned above is a standard thing utility companies do when a tree is growing in the easment, and I believe (can't find a reference at the moment) it is done in an attempt to SAVE trees instead of just cutting them down like they would have in the past.

[RedScare]

I drove up Oxford the other day and realized that the powerlines are next to the street, not in the alleys. Plenty of trees under and around the power lines. On the section from 6th to 11th, I thought Centerpoint was pretty generous in not taking out the entire tree.

[sidegate]

Centerpoint butchered two trees in my own backyard by trimming them asymmetrically to the point where I had to have them cut down myself. They don't care.

[sidegate]

They are lucky Centerpoint did not cut it down completely.

That's more overhead for them. Cheaper just to maim the tree and let the homeowner pick up the tab.

[SilverJK]

That's more overhead for them. Cheaper just to maim the tree and let the homeowner pick up the tab.

Not if said maimed tree falls on to the lines

[samagon]

Not if said maimed tree falls on to the lines

I don't think it would be physically possible for the trees to fall into the power lines once they are cut the way CPE cuts them, which is probably why they cut them the way they do.

[Heightsite]

When I started this thread, I thought an arborist might weigh in. Full disclosure, I don't live on the powerline side of the street and BTW, I had the trees trimmed on my property about a month ago. I just noticed the trees looked hacked. I'm in favor of tree trimming, especially to prevent power losses during severe weather events. I don't know what "proper" trimming entails but here's what A&M says:

Topping Versus Thinning

All too often trees are topped ("dehorned") to reduce size or to rejuvenate growth. In either case topping is not a recommended practice; in fact, some refer to it as the "Texas chain saw massacre". Topping is the process whereby a tree is cut back to a few large branches. After 2 to 3 months, regrowth on a topped tree is vigorous, bushy and upright. Topping seriously affects the tree's structure and appearance. The weakly attached regrowth can break off during severe wind or rain storms. Topping may also shorten the life of a tree by making it susceptible to attack by insect and disease.

Thinning is a better means of reducing the size of a tree or rejuvenating growth. In contrast to topping, thinning removes unwanted branches by cutting them back to their point of origin. Thinning conforms to the tree's natural branching habit and results in a more open tree, emphasizing the branches' internal structure. Thinning also strengthens the tree by forcing diameter growth of the remaining branches.

And the link for more info: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/landscape/pruning/pruning.html

[sidegate]

I don't think it would be physically possible for the trees to fall into the power lines once they are cut the way CPE cuts them, which is probably why they cut them the way they do.

Right. Mine were in no danger of falling on the lines, but the way CP left them, they were in danger of taking out the entire add-on of my house. I eventually got round to taking them down a couple of months before the storm in 2005 and don't want to think what might have happened if I hadn't.

CP is accountable to nobody in this context and as long as that situation persists, they will continue to do as they please with other people's property.

[SilverJK]

Right. Mine were in no danger of falling on the lines, but the way CP left them, they were in danger of taking out the entire add-on of my house. I eventually got round to taking them down a couple of months before the storm in 2005 and don't want to think what might have happened if I hadn't.

CP is accountable to nobody in this context and as long as that situation persists, they will continue to do as they please with other people's property.

Interestingly it was after 2005 when they realized they needed to be much more active in tree trimming. (Ike caught centerpoint with their pants down basically)

I guess what i'm thinking is based on the trees I see near my house. My pine tree is quite tall, and if the limbs above the lines were trimmed, the tree could easily still fall onto the lines. It could fall across the street and take out the lines of my neighbors house probably.

I highly doubt that centerpoint would intentionally cut a tree so severe that it would put your house at risk. They could be held accountable (more likely the tree trimming company they contracted out to do the work). They aren't doing this to piss you off, or because they are mean, they simply want to protect the power supply. You could easily flip your last statement around, by them not trimming the tree and holding homeowners accountable for trimming it, homeowners would continue doing as they please at the risk of other people's (centerpoint) property. This isn't some evil ploy to kill the trees.

[sidegate]

This isn't some evil ploy to kill the trees.

I didn't say it was. They just don't give a rats. I had one of their people come out and look at the trees and he basically shrugged and said their number one priority is to keep the lines clear. And I'm still not convinced that they could be held accountable by anything other than a civil lawsuit. which would be a logistical nightmare for the average homeowner, with no guarantee of a favorable outcome.