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Janet · 15-03-2017, 10:56 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article , damduck-
says...
You are going to have to climb quite high to start sawing of those
limbs ,

NO. Never start high.

Have you looked at the tree? It's small, dense, the branches are
skinny and arched. Arched branches under stress, can easily sever at the
trunk. Cutting the tree you're standing in is a dangerous mistake for
beginners.

So if you are up for it climb the tree with bow saw

Ignore this bad advice. Do NOT climb the tree holding or using sharp
tools. On that tree you should be able to do the whole job safely from
ground level, starting with the lower branches first, and working from
the outside towards the trunk as Chris said. Aim for debris to drop
onto clear ground.

Before you start, clear any trip hazards from under the tree (old
bricks, slippy moss/ leaves). As you cut, keep clearing the cut stuff
out of the work zone; it's easy to trip or step back on debris when your
attention is upward. Stumbling/falling while holding a sharp/pointy tool
a common cause of garden injury.

Starting on lower branches, aim to clear a head-height working space
all round the trunk leaving the upper branches till last, when you have
better access to them.

Higher up, you may not be able to reach the outer ends of top
branches to reduce them, so will have to saw off a whole branch close
to the trunk. Before the saw goes right through , as the cut opens the
branch will begin to sag, and it's helpful to have someone else on hand
to guide it safely down as you finish the cut.

I agree with leaving a metre stump; rocking it makes severing the
roots much easier if you want to do a neat job.

If you just cut the stump off at ground level, it may sprout new growth
again; but removing them regularly will eventually starve the root to
death. Or, you can poison the stump while it's raw.

However much waste debris you anticipate, these jobs always end up
with far more. Disposing of it can be more of a headache than taking the
tree down; especially to your neighbour who owns it; so have a plan in
advance, one that doesn't block anyone's car access.

Janet