Gemstone,

You did not mention how large the maple is. If it is less than a
couple of inches in diameter, I would try pulling it with a
"come-along". I use one to pull a lot of established bushes in my back
yard. That way there is no need to worry about the tree coming back.
Again, if the tree is small enough, and the forsythia is as established
as you say, the root system should handle the stress.

Craig Cooper
http://www.growersinfo.com
Gardeners Information Exchange



Gemstone Rivers wrote:
I have a new neighbor who knows nothing about gardening (I already caught
him adding armfulls of peony stems to the firepit, tubers and all! they
now live at my house) and I've finally convinced him to hold off doing
anything else until spring.

One major thing that does needs to be done is the removal of a small maple
tree that is growing up almost on top of and through a fantastic, old
forsythia bush. I don't see how both can survive together for much longer
and the forsythia bush is so fantastic that it would be a shame for an
opportunistically rooted tree to kill it.

When would be a good time to cut down the tree? Is there any reason to
wait until spring or can it go now? Am I wrong in thinking that both of
these cannot survive so close together?

The forsythia hasn't been trimmed in years (maybe a decade+) and needs
trimming back but the location of the tree is to the immediate south of the
bush and probably shades the bush too much during the summer.

Suggestions? Thx.