I'm always reluctant to recomend removing a tree to a customer because it's pretty self serving but I didn't have any quams in this case. A 100+ year old english walnut. The city moved out around it and it becamse like a city tree except the city doesn't take care of it. It had a limb break a few weeks ago and it looks like whatever was effecting the limb goes right down the trunk to the ground. Up by the crotch of the limb going to the left I poked a stick up there and there was significant rot. If that limb went it would take out the electric lines and several other targets and fall into a fairly busy street.
Huge walnut tree
- Thread starter stehansen
- Start date
- Replies 18
- Views 3K
NickfromWI
King of Splices
Yep, that's a no brainer of a call.
Shame to see it go...but safety first!
love
nick
Shame to see it go...but safety first!
love
nick
F
Frans
Guest
I like how you said that. It is a conflict of interest to evaluate a tree which you condemmn, and then bid on the removal.
But if they call you out saying the tree looks unsafe, then I go for it.
Paul B
I dig hammocks.
Frans, good point. One of the local cities here has a stipulation in their tree retention bylaw that says any company providing a report for the removal permit cannot actually DO the removal. to keep that conflict to a minimum. its cool since I dont do removals, I get a good handful of report referrals 
sotc
Dormant hero!!
i guess i could see that but i wont put in writing anything about a tree i don't believe. i guess that only makes me feel better but if i condemn a tree i have no problem bidding to remove it to.
treelooker
Treehouser
There is only one thing TO say. I don't see any woundwood forming. How fast do walnuts rot when they are wounded like that?
Looks like it was hit by a car.
vharrison
Island Girl
Isn't it the City's responsibility to remove it?
sotc
Dormant hero!!
in our town you need permission from the city but you have to pay for it if its in front of your house
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
English or thin skined walnuts are not native to these parts.We have the thick skinned black walnut trees.They very seldom get that large in diameter unless they are in town trees.That being the case they do seem prone to similar rot as those.
A woods grown black walnut of over 24" at the stump is considered a large tree.Those in many cases would be over 100 feet to the top.
In my woods ,I only have one large one.That damned thing has walnuts that would knock a person out cold if they got thumped from one falling 80 to 90 feet from on high.
A woods grown black walnut of over 24" at the stump is considered a large tree.Those in many cases would be over 100 feet to the top.
In my woods ,I only have one large one.That damned thing has walnuts that would knock a person out cold if they got thumped from one falling 80 to 90 feet from on high.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
They are telling me that because it was existing when the city limits came to the property that it is not a city tree althought it certainly is located like one, being right next to the street. That it is not a city owned tree; however, the plot thickens. The city of Modesto wanted the previous owner of the property to remove the trees several years back and at that time the previous owner filed for some sort of historical protection for the trees (there are 3 of them) with the State of California and got it. So I assume that the appropriate paperwork would be necessary from the State before any removal could take place. Al, as I understand it English walnuts can only handle a mild freeze and usually start sustaining damage at any prolonged temps below 25 degrees. They also have trouble with rain and or prolonged high humidity during the growing season. They get a blight if it rains in the spring time but it can be controlled with copper and as we normally have dry summers with low humidity here, we can grow them with adaquate irrigation. That's why they are pretty much restricted to California.
I didn't think of a car hitting it, but that is entirely plausable. The HO said that a bunch of the bark came off when the limb broke but it could have been just sitting there loose. The wound showed a little sign of healing on the left side so this happened quite a while ago. There are several pruning cuts up in the tree of 3" to 4" limbs with no healing which is what you would expect with this kind of tree that is this old. Most walnut trees in this area never make it past 70 years especially in an urban setting like that. This was a very unusual tree. A street tree that gives you shade and food.
I didn't think of a car hitting it, but that is entirely plausable. The HO said that a bunch of the bark came off when the limb broke but it could have been just sitting there loose. The wound showed a little sign of healing on the left side so this happened quite a while ago. There are several pruning cuts up in the tree of 3" to 4" limbs with no healing which is what you would expect with this kind of tree that is this old. Most walnut trees in this area never make it past 70 years especially in an urban setting like that. This was a very unusual tree. A street tree that gives you shade and food.
Al Smith
Mac Daddy
I picked up on something,copper.
An old trick by the power companys with people who refused the let them trim the trees was copper nails.Those rascals would drive a bunch of copper nails around the tree which would kill it.It has the same effect as copper sulfate,blue vitral to the farmers among us.
An old trick by the power companys with people who refused the let them trim the trees was copper nails.Those rascals would drive a bunch of copper nails around the tree which would kill it.It has the same effect as copper sulfate,blue vitral to the farmers among us.
Really interesting thread. I've seen easement trees last way beyond my predictions, and I take it as a lesson of sorts ? Compartmentalization goes a long way.
I love English Walnut... ***sigh***... too bad the ol' girl has to go !
I love English Walnut... ***sigh***... too bad the ol' girl has to go !
J
Jamin Mayer
Guest
I love the smell of Walnut in the wood stove.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
i just hate all the ash!
J
Jamin Mayer
Guest
Oh wait! It is a shame the tree has to come down.
J
Jamin Mayer
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #19
The guy hasn't called me. He was planning on harvesting the larger wood for lumber, but there would be plenty for firewood. My father had a walnut orchard during my youth so we burned plenty, and it does smell good, burns hot and fast and leaves lots of ash. Kind of like me, except for the smell good part.
Similar threads
