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Silver Birch


otherwayup
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I have a silver birch about 3 metres from the corner of my house. The main trunk is about 14" diameter and I'm thinking about any possible future subsidence / insurance issues related to letting a tree grow near your house.

 

If I remove it, is there a big risk from the existing roots rotting and the soil contracting etc.

 

Am I better to attempt to cut it back hard (I know it will look rubbish) and keep the existing roots ticking over as they are?

 

Will a 14" diameter Silver Birch die anyway if I cut it back hard?

 

Anyone expert on trees?

 

Thanks

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I have a silver birch about 3 metres from the corner of my house. The main trunk is about 14" diameter and I'm thinking about any possible future subsidence / insurance issues related to letting a tree grow near your house.

 

If I remove it, is there a big risk from the existing roots rotting and the soil contracting etc.

 

Am I better to attempt to cut it back hard (I know it will look rubbish) and keep the existing roots ticking over as they are?

 

Will a 14" diameter Silver Birch die anyway if I cut it back hard?

 

Anyone expert on trees?

 

Thanks

 

It happened with me. Cut it down and it didn't grow back. You could try that paint stuff on the stump if you want to kill it off and yours keeps growing back.

 

Cut it down and I don't think you'd have problems if the existing roots rotted. If you leave the tree, even if you prune it back regularly to keep it one size, the roots will keep growing and any problems will get worse.

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Cut it down by the time the roots rot down ground will settle without problems as it moves into where the roots used to be.

 

The ground under and round your house will have swelled with all the rain then dry out in summer and shrink back without many problems.

 

More problems when it heaves your floors and walls if you leave it to grow.

 

Figgy

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I'm an arbourist mate. My advice would be to remove the tree. As its so close to the house it would probibally need section felling from rope & harness. As for the stump cut it as low as possible and buy some Eco plugs off the net. You will need around 6 for a tree that size. Simply drill a hole for the plug and hit it with a hammer, the plug releases a chemical that will kill the stump and it won't grow back.

If you wasn't so far I'd do it for you but I'd recommend getting in a professional as they will be insured should something go wrong.

Hope this helps, any questions please just drop me a msg and I will be happy to help.

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It's got nothing to do with the size it's more to do with the species. A silver birch should be fine, plus if its endangering the house it needs to go. Some trees have TPO's ( tree protection orders ) on them but never came across a silver birch with a TPO before. If unsure contact the council and ask to speak to the tree officer he will be able to tell you. However if you get in a professional to do the job it's not your problem.

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phone your local council and check for tpo or conservation orders( planning department),if it was causing problems the first thing they would do would be remove it and then underpin etc if its not caused a problem so far it should not cause a problem rotting as foundations are in tact use sbk to poisen about a fiver, paint it on with a brush neat no drilling.even if its protected put in an application ,takes about six weeks but they should grant permission to remove due to proximity.

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We had a mountain ash in the front garden higher than the house (two floors + roof), leaning towards the house. The previous year one of a similar size a few doors along blew over during a gale. Luckily it fell away from the neighbours house. Checked with the council not on any protection list. Got a tree surgeon in who took it down from the top. When the final part of the trunk was cut down (wrecking my fence and paving) we saw that it was 25% rotten from the core.

 

So could have been a J.I.T move.

 

Anyhoo the tree surgeon said to paint the stump with derv. That was 2 years ago and everything seems fine.

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Essex Clay

 

If you have any signs of subsidence / heave then you do need to be careful removing the tree however if no signs I'd get it gone ASAP. If you do have any signs then you may need to talk to your insurers / an expert but odds are all they will do is monitor and cut the tree down anyway

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I have a Yew tree about 6ft from my house. The trunk must be 2.5-3ft wide and its over 3 floors high. There is a nice crack up the stone wall near the tree but its been there years and a builder says not to worry until you can fit a fist inside it. There is a Christmas tree at the other end of the house that was planted 30 years ago. I might have that one down next year as its bloody huge.

I suggest if the op is worried just get it cut down.

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Darren I give you permission to chop it down :yes: :yes: . Any questions just say Terry said I could do it. :lol::good:

 

Well, after receiving official authorisiation from Terry, it's gone (all but a two foot stump, deal with that later).

 

Armed with a bow saw and couple of ropes I climbed the beast, started at the top and worked down (well, more like up, down, up down Ad infinitum). All whilst pacifying the neighbours. It's great people get protective over trees, even when there on someone else's property.

 

At times my head was well above the gutters and my hands are killing me now from gripping the branches so tightly. I'm gonna ache in the morning; so glad I've got the Hadleigh x county to do first thing.

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