You're right. That tree is in the wrong place. I think you could do it yourself, it's not that big. Why he wanted to use round-up on the stump is beyond me. Round-up only works on green growing things. As long as you remove any root suckers, the stump roots wil eventually die.

Libby

Ive allready pruned down many of the tall branches and cut them into small pieces to fit in the garbage. Thankfully apple tree branches are very flexable and easy to cut.
The man said the stuff was LIKE round up (I forgot what it was called) but much more potent. Ive seen the stuff before though, and dont want it my yard. He even said he couldnt guarantee it wouldnt kill things around it. Um, thanks but no thanks. And I almost laughed this big brauny man kept whining that it was a big job and difficult. Ha Ha, so a 5ft 3in blonde girl is going to show him how we get it done! Lol. He also wanted to charge an extra $50. because my yard was an 'Obstical Course' and hard to get branches out of.
Ive created a little shade garden behind this apple tree, so im going to replace it with a flame maple in order to keep things happy. Aphids are the only thing this maple is susceptable to, but thats easily controled.
CMK

We just dug out (this week) a weeping cherry tree that was around 6 feet high and wide. Actually, my DH dug it up. He first cut off the top leaving a 3 foot high stump. Then with the branches out of the way, he worked that stump to help push and pull as he dug out and cut the roots. It took him about 15-20 minutes. I dug up some of the long roots. It's good that we took it out. It was too near our TALL stone chimney and could have undermined it within a few years.

Sometimes, you just have to shovel prune. Our tree looked good only 1 week a year (when it bloomed). Japanese beetles ate it to ruins every summer, then it lost the leaves in the fall.

I just planted a nice garden in the place of the tree.

Cameron

You sure are keeping busy Cameron! That tree reminds me of the one a friend of my mom's had that she let me pick apples from. It seems like I may have climbed it to get some.

Is that love in a mist I see to the left of the stones? I want mine to grow like that next year. I thinned it too much this year. I also got it planted late, and now I need to decide if I'm going to keep deadheading it or let it go to seed.

Post pics of what you did, please.

Sue

Update: The tree is cut down. I cut down all the main branches and all that is left is four or five feet of the main trunk. Its dark outside and im tierd, so ill leave it for tomarow.
Its strange to see a tree thats been in my yard from the first suddenly gone. I had to do it...I keep telling myself that and that my flame maple will look much better there (and be less of a chore!)
-Sue, that plant is Veronica gentianoides. My computer, called "Ol' Rustbucket" (and often less pleasant things on one of its bad days) can't directly load up pics. So im afraid I only post new pics about twice a year, lol. You'll probably see it later in the fall though.
CMK

Hey, if you can't whine here where can you whine?? I know you did the right thing and you will be happier as time goes by. I'm a tree hugger from way back but fruit trees don't live forever. It's sorta like putting a pet to sleep before they completely lose their dignity. Tough decision but the right one.

Thanks bloominganne. That was exactly what I was thinking.
Im still trying to get through the main trunk. Its slow going because its crooked and I only have a hand-saw to work with. You'd probably laugh to see what I did out there: I put up a beach umbrella over some wilting plants, lol.

If I were completely honest I would admit that I never really liked that tree where it was. Ive been rethinking putting a maple there. I just dont know if it would look good there. I was thinking about replacing the tree with a large perennial or something. Maybe Miscanthus Grazillus or even a Eupatorium.
It would mean re-locating nearly twenty shade plants (and I really dont have much shade areas left to plant in). Its rather overwhelming. I could enlarge my shade garden in the front though...

Honestly now guys, do you think it would look better to put sun plants there instead of putting another tree in?

-PS. How much sun can Golden Queen Trollius tolerate? How about Actaea (bugbane?). Thanks for listening to me and giving encouragement!
CMK

I think it depends on the size of your property. Since we have a small corner lot, I would not plant any trees anywhere, even though the only one we have is a huge maple tree in the front yard my dh and his dad transplanted as a volunteer from a neighbor's yard when he was a boy.

I am so not a tree person. Give me room for flowers, and I will plant them. I don't know the answers to your questions about those plants, though. I wonder what kinds of bushes may do well there.

Sue

I LOVE trees. Its been a dream (one of the many) to have a large enough space to have diffrent trees. A little Arboretum.
But ive decided not to plant another tree in the space. My yards too full allready and I dont want something more that I have to prune up.

I suppose it wouldnt shock any of my fellow Cottage Gardeners if I told them ive allready started planting sun plants in the space would it? Ive moved a few things in, like a boxwood, Centranthus Albus, Geum, MN Salvia, and Helianthus.
Im going to make the my shade garden in the front yard bigger and put my precious, and homeless, shade plants there. Its cool and overcast today, perfect transplanting weather.
CMK

cmk, you are right on with your thinking. In a small yard, one picks and chooses to get the best use. Besides, every yard need a full sun space. And no competition from tree roots! You go girl!
Pondy

Very true pondwelr! My yard looks twice as big now.
Well ive been keeping quite busy!

WED: Cut down the apple tree
THU: Chopped down trunk to a stump- Cut up branches (with some help) and hid in back- Moved a few shade plants out- Moved some Sun Plants in from other places
FRI: Cut out 5 wheelbarrow-fulls of sod from shade garden in front yard- transplanted over twenty plants from back to new area
SAT: Went to a Plant Sale and bought about ten more plants- dug out more grass in sun area of front yard for them- Planted nearly all of said plants in new area
Now im out again to move a couple more plants and a rose!
Lol, I think im out of the August blues!
CMK

CMK,
My envy started at the point where I read about you cutting sod and moving plants. What fun (except for the moving sod part)!

I hope you are taking pics as you go!

Happy September gardening,
Sue