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Tree Removal and Installation Questions
Hi. I don't really frequent this board but thought it would be a good place to get advice. I have some questions...
1) What are your thoughts about using Cleveland Pears as street trees in SW Ohio?
2) We are thinking of buying two 7-8' container trees. Any advice on whether this is easy to DIY or how much to expect to pay for installation (our local nursery quoted us $200/tree...seems expensive??)? What are your DIY tips?
3) How about tree removal? There are 2 existing gnarly Pin Oaks (about 4-5 years old) that need to come out so that they can be replaced by the new trees. I'd estimate that they are maybe 6-7' tall and only a few inches diameter trunk. They've been cut back quite a bit from the top and sides to remove dead wood. DIY or hire a pro? How much to expect for cost?
TIA!
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Re: Tree Removal and Installation Questions
I am opposed to the choice of Cleveland Select pear trees, as a street tree or for any other purpose. Although they will not bear fruit (actually they will but it will be pea-sized) they are highly invasive nuisance trees. They smell bad when in flower and they will have millions of babies all over your neighborhood. Please, don't plant ANY variety of ornamental pear trees.
$200 sounds ok to install an 8' tall tree. I would charge about that much, and I would not use any machinery, but since I dig, saw, and lift large trees all year long it's easier for me than it is for people who don't do this for a living.
The oaks are so small (like say, under 4" caliper), you don't need a chainsaw. They could be sawed through manually in a few seconds apiece. However, if you want the roots gone, you could drag them out with a chain and a vehicle. This method works best when the ground is soft and damp, but the trees have to be small enough to flex without breaking. Doing this also eliminates a lot of digging if you intend to replace the trees immediately.
Many people have different opinions about Ornamental Pears. Here's my landscape architecture advice- purely professional- no opinions...
Ornamental pears do not produce traditional pear "fruits" so don't worry about that. They are a more upright, quite large tree. They may smell a bit "fishy" when in bloom but shouldn't annoy too badly unless your house is set close to the street where you might have open windows. The blooms are very pretty.
They do not spread like crazy and actually are not on any nuisance tree list that I know of. If any little babies popped up you could certainly pull them out easily but I've never heard of this being a problem.
If you have overhead power lines along your street I would not recommend such a large tree- the utility companies will just come along and top them. If you park in the street (or your neighbors do), they could be a bit messy.
If you want a smaller, flowering tree (more naturalizing) check out...Redbuds, smaller varieties of Maples (not silver maple), etc. Oaks are good too- but large. Go to http://ohioline.osu.edu/lines/hygs.html
Pyrus cross pollinate and hybridize freely. Locating every resulting seedling, let alone pulling them up, would be impossible. This alone makes them invasive and undesirable - regardless of their other liabilities (which are numerous). http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/impact/2008/nri/01153_peartree.html
http://bioweb.ad.uc.edu/faculty/culley/Pyrus.htm