How to Safely Fell a Loganberry

Trees are an important part of any landscape, adding character and value to a home or business while providing shade, reducing erosion, and even helping with soil stability. However, when they start to show signs of significant damage or disease, or pose a threat to property or human life, tree removal may be the best option. Trees are incredibly heavy, and can cause extensive damage to structures such as homes, cars, or electrical poles. In addition, a falling tree can cause injury or death to individuals. This is why it’s important to conduct regular inspections of trees on your property and have them removed when necessary.

While much of tree care comes to a halt during the winter period, there are certain tasks that can still be carried out, and some that are especially helpful at this time of year. A good example of this is pruning any fruit trees you have on your property. Loganberries are a particularly thorny variety of bush that can take up quite a lot of space, but you can prune them in late winter or early spring to prepare them for the coming summer. The best time to do this is after they have finished fruiting the previous year and you can then remove old canes at the base, leaving new canes that will fruit next year to grow through.

Before you start sawing, it is a good idea to survey the area around the tree to check for obstructions. You should also make sure that you have a clear path to retreat from the work area in case the tree falls unexpectedly. It is recommended to have two escape routes, one that is directly away from the direction of the fall, and another that runs parallel. This way, you will have the most options for safety should something go wrong while felling the tree.

The first step is to cut a notch in the side of the tree, using a chainsaw or hatchet. This is important, as it will help to control the path of the fall and prevent any injuries or damages caused by the sudden movement of a large tree. After cutting the notch, you should start sawing horizontally into the tree, about an inch past the point of the face cut. You should also insert wedges as you saw, to minimize tension and ensure that your saw doesn’t get pinched by the tree as it falls.

If the tree is positioned on a slope, it is important to use a turning hook or turning strap to roll it down the slope. This will help to reduce stress on the stump and your back. It is important to note that severely leaning or crooked trees will not roll, and will instead need to be levered with the turning tool in order to come down safely. This process can be very dangerous, so it is recommended that you only attempt to do this if you have the appropriate experience and equipment to do so.

from Tree Lopping Logan Co Blog https://ift.tt/wkhmGZl