Trees are great in many Australian gardens, but you may find that one or more needs to be removed in certain circumstances. Perhaps you have low hanging branches which might blow down in high winds and potentially scrape your car or home. Some trees simply cast too much shadow and shade a garden or deprive your home of sunlight. Some trees are removed because they overhang the street and might hurt someone if a branch were to come loose. In many cases, a tree surgeon can keep a tree alive while making it safer and more pleasant to be around. In others, however, a full removal is required. Remember that certain restrictions apply when chopping down trees, especially depending on where you live, so you should always make sure that taking one out is legal and that you have the necessary permit to proceed.

Take the Weight Off

When removing a tree, it can be tempting to simply cut through the trunk low to the ground with a chainsaw. This can be a mistake, however, because a falling tree can cause a lot of damage to your garden and property. Instead, remove as many boughs as you can before tackling the trunk. This way when the tree comes down you won't be felling such a large structure. It will mark the ground less brutally and be easier to direct so that damage is minimised.

When chopping out a deciduous tree, it is advisable to do the job in late autumn or winter so that the weight of new growth and leaves is kept to a minimum. Use a wood chipper to get rid of the excess branches and opt for a bin hire service so that all of the wood is easy to remove from your property.

Chopping a Tree Trunk

When the tree is as bare as you can make it without endangering yourself, it is time to cut it at its trunk. In order to make the tree fall the right way, saw or use a felling axe on one side of the trunk only. This should be the side that you want the tree to fall. As the incision you make gets bigger, it is possible that the trunk could twist and the tree to come down in an unexpected way. Therefore, always be prepared to get out of the way rapidly, if needed. If you throw a line high up into the tree over a branch then you can tie this off to a peg in the ground which will help to direct its fall in the way you want. When cutting into a trunk, create a horizontal V-pattern rather than trying to cut all the way through in one go. As the trunk loses its strength, it becomes more likely it will cave in under its own weight over the V and fall in the most advantageous manner.

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