Did I just dodge a cowboy's bullet?

Over 2 days, I've seen a small lorry with a wood chip trailer behind, parked a few hundred metres from my house, and from the sound of it was chipping something.

Cowboy, dressed in a green uniform, knocks on my door and after initial introductions including him saying that he's working for a neighbour, he says that there's a crack in a branch on my willow tree. We go round the back and he points out a 80 mm diameter branch at about 4 m height and 4 m length, that he says has a crack in it. Then he notices a 30 mm diameter branch at just over 2 m height, bends it through about 120 degrees and of course it brakes, saying look its dead. I knew it was not good, and after he was gone I checked it and the break was sound, although 0.5 m away from the break there was a 20 mm diameter twig showing evidence of dead wood in a third of it's diameter. He then noticed and points to the ends of branches that my neighbour had cut, saying look there's more evidence of dead wood. They had been cut a few years ago and I suppose the ends could be rotten. I've got much more serious problems on my mind than these, so we discuss prices, he says £450 with a receipt, or £250 for cash, I say that I've haven't got any cash, he says go to a cash machine, I say no, he says alright I'll lower it to £200, and at that I say I'm not interested and he left.
There is another tree in my garden that looks like a birch but it's not silver, and he didn't know what it was, so he's not much of a tree surgeon, but certainly seems like a cowboy to me?

It later occurred to me that if he had actually been in my neighbour's garden, then he would have seen what he called "dead" branches and pointed them out to me first, and unless the "crack" is open then he would find it difficult to see anyway. However, I obviously need to have a good look at it.

I intend to put a ladder up to the trunk and check the branches, I will cut though at least one or two of the lower branches that he says are "dead" to check for dead wood: the branches are superfluous anyway. I've have an extension ladder that extends to about 10 m so no problem.


One other thing that he said, was that the branchlets which hang down and are about 4 m long should not be dragging on the ground, and should be cut some distance above the ground, is that true?

Can someone please advise the ideal number of teeth for a tree saw? I bought a cheap tipped B&Q saw to cut fibreglass in my parents loft, later I used it to cut a piece of wood and it went through like I was cutting butter, so I will buy one of those again.

 

Yeah, never use anyone who just turns up on your doorstep, they try to make you feel insecure, if your worried about the tree get a tree surgeon to come round and have a look at it.

As to a saw, I always use a bow saw, its amazing if you use it properly the size of branch you can get through and safer than a chainsaw if your not used to one.

 

You were right to send the man away. Last year I had a Sycamore and a Scots Pine removed, both trees were sixty feet plus in height and the stumps were dug out mechanically too. The whole job was less than £300. It's best to use someone that has been recommended if possible, unless of course you can do the job yourself.

 

I bet Inland Revenue would like they're names £450 > £200 for cash

 

Had a similar issue in Fleet in our old house. My husband thought they were genuine I wasn't there to tell them to sling their 'ook unfortuntely. They had a van, chipper and business cards with mobile numbers and advertised as acredited tree surgeons etc. They started work whilst my husband was working from home, he then had to go into London so left, and so did they. He had given them some cash and said he'd give them the rest when he got home....they never finished the work and left!!!! Did us a favour though as they cut a wrong tree down (one in the back of our neighbours garden (it was soooo overgrown and a mess)...luckily it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission on that occasion.

 

Another thought (at a tangent, as that is how I’m ticking, right now).

Those long, dangling stems of willow that you want to trim back? Do you have an independent florist nearby, or maybe evening classes doing flower-arranging? They might be delighted to have some of those stems, would be happy to come and take them from you, and you would know they are going to be used and enjoyed!
The long whippy stems can be wound around in a circle, and then around each other, to form the base for a wreath. Many years ago I used to do some gardening for a property which had a weeping willow. I made wreath bases, and Christmas wreaths from the stems.... oh to have a source of willow-stems near here!!

 

A pic of my tree today:-



It looks a bit sad but the branchlet on the right is about 4 metres long.

 

Thanks pete, I have a bit of trouble with my right thumb, so holding a bow saw may be tricky. However, it got me thinking, and I have a tower that I use for decorating which probably can reach 4 metres and so it would be a safe way to get at the so called "cracked branch" AND if I decide to saw it off, I can use the tower to support the offcut.

 

Yesh, if I see his lorry about, I will make a note of his name and have a word with the IR.

 

1. Another good reason to use my decorating tower to support the branch while cutting it. See my 2nd reply before this reply.

2. Yeah, I was a bit worried this year as my willow didn't stop shedding twigs until July, and I was filling my green bin every 2 weeks, so much so that I was concerned that it was dying. Hence the branchlets are much more sparse now, the canopy is not so dense as in previous years, and the tree is not so attractive now. I wonder if that occurred because we had very little rain and it was starved of water?

3. Thanks for that info. Cowboy obviously gave me a made up term, that I can't remember, for cutting the branchlets back!