What can I do about these trees?

11 years ago

I have 32 of these 30+ foot tall evergreen whatevers. I've been looking for something to tell me what they are. I think they are the Lawson Cypress but I don't know. I bought these monsters in January with my house and one has already decided to break off and come down on the house. No damage, but a sign to me none the less. Also these monoliths stand as guardians of the sun for my back yard as I only get the effervescence of vitamin D from 11:30 am all day long to 3:30 pm. As most plant life and human life likes sunlight, my back yard is a moist, wasteland. I do plan to overcome this with plants which like to hide from the sun like small colored trolls to soak up the shade. However there is a small oasis that is filled with water in the back yard which, my little trolls, like to play in and I like to drink the occasional adult beverage by. However with no sunlight for 12 of the 15 hours the sky is lit, one gets to thinking that, well, I love these trees, but I hate these trees. I think that whoever planted these trees didn't know much about it, and planted them too close together so they are now so tall they are dying off at the lower limbs, thereby making nice tall trees and no privacy anymore. Had they been planted farther apart they may still be thick down low. But Now I have these great big trees full of light blocking grandeur but my neighbor can chill on his porch and talk to us through the open bases. This was a long drawn out way of saying HEEEELLLLPPP! I want the beauty of them but I don't want them so high. Id like them to fill out down low and not be so tall. I have read about topping trees and the risk of harming the trees, and yatta yatta, but I feel like I either top them them and hurt them or kill them all together. Does anyone have experience or ideas of how to fix this issue? Like if I were to take out every other tree would they fill out lower to the ground and give privacy again, and would they survive about a 15' top down? Any ideas or help on what to do will be reaaaaaaally appreciated.

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User
Original Author

11 years ago

It was posted in other. At lest that's what it said at the bottom. But hey thanks for letting me know that Houzz is a great place to look at photos and never talk. Ill be sure to tell my friends!

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Comments (17)

User
11 years ago
Call a Certified Arborist. And learn paragraphs.
User
11 years ago
Sophie- perhaps you could tutor *how to paragraph* on line. Of course this should be posted in *other*;)
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unwantedadvice
11 years ago
Hi, Marcos. Great questions about your tree issue. I would suggest posting this in the "garden web" section of Houzz. You should get lots of answers over there. Good luck! :))
bubbasgma
11 years ago
Sophie. Sophie. Sophie.... Life's too short, My Darling. Smile and ease up on your fellow Houzzers.

Margo... You're confusing the new Houzzer! ;)

Marcos... Margo's really trying to say that Sophie's New Dilemma Tread..."How to Correctly Paragraph Your Houzz Question" (when she posts it) needs to go in the "Other" category.

Some people are really touchy about what we call "Design Dilemmas", if there's any chance that "random chatting" may occur, they freak out!
User
11 years ago
Bubbas- I confuse old Houzzers too;)
pegjustpeg
11 years ago
I believe the OP has left the building.
bubbasgma
11 years ago
Margo... You can't confuse ME!!!

Now, what the he// was I doing before I heard the "Ping"...
zazfuzzroc
11 years ago
That's a shame, really. :(
User
11 years ago
Oh come on, if you have these big a$$ trees looming overhead, you are not a faint of heart person. Marcos, come on, talk to us. On the plus side, Marcos at least HAS friends to tell about the HOuzz welcome wagon. Funny, Sophie got all twisted over the lack of paragraph and I got blamed lol lol lol lol lol ... now this seems like the old Houzz I know and luv;))
Rina
11 years ago
Hi Marcos. I hope you're still with us. I loved your mini essay. It made me laugh. - paragraphless and all.

I also love your row of trees. It would take a tree fundi -- pro or otherwise -- to say for sure, but I very much doubt those trees would fill out below if topped. And I think removing every second one would allow you extra light only for a few years, perhaps, before they extend sideways into the new space. But oh they are so nice. I'd think underplanting with, perhaps, rhodedendrons or the like would solve the privacy problem. Again, it would take an expert to say what would thrive.

You might consider taking out a group of trees together in two places, south-east and south-west, to allow a break for the sun to come through both earlier and later - at least for part of the year.
karemore55
11 years ago
Well, this didn't go well...
User
11 years ago
LOL- karemore...Houzz has gone soft, except for Sophie ;)
bubbasgma
11 years ago
Hahahaha....I sure miss you two!
User
11 years ago
Hey Bubbas... Happy Easter *waving*... I miss you guys too!
bubbasgma
11 years ago
Happy Easter, Margo! Hope you have a focus-free, do-whatever-ya-want, laugh-a-minute day!

You (and Kare, too!) should come say "Hello" and spin some tunes with us!!
e y
4 years ago
I also sprayed rm43 around my 30 year old trees. I live in the high desert in Nv. and wanted to kill the frickin tumbleweeds and goat head stickers. I read ... upon researching .... that it won't kill established trees. Now for the wisteria vines (also 30 years old ) I'm fretting. Any answers to calm my panic might help but the flat out truth from experience would be best. I have a feeling I'm doomed ! Next question: Is there anything I may be able to do?