On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:57:21 -0500, jangchub
wrote:

I have a hackberry on the west side of the house which furnishes the
entire property with it's delightful seeds which I think the birds
poop out.

Anyway, it is HUGE and shades the garage very nicely. However, I
can't stand the weed part. Would you cut it down, and if so, who'd
you hire to do it. It's in a precarious part of the yard with very
little room between the house and the fence and the neighbors garage.

Victoria
I've seen some nice hackberry trees here and there, but they are the
exceptions. Being bird-planted, they tend to be in the worst
locations. Being viewed as "trash trees," they tend to be abused
and/or ignored. Even with proper care, they are prone to mistletoe,
which can lead to weakness, and poor structure, which represents
inherent weakness. They often succumb to hypoxylon, a disease that
might go unnoticed to the untrained eye but could lead to failure. I
wouldn't condemn your tree without seeing it, but I don't think I'd be
inclined to keep a hackberry right over my house like that. too many
things to get damaged if it breaks.

I won't offer a recommendation for a specific company since I have a
conflict of interest, but I strongly suggest you make sure the company
you hire has a liability policy that specifically covers work aloft in
a tree. Most lawn care companies do not have such coverage. Do not
hesitate to ask for proof of this policy. Consider calling the
underwriter to make sure it's valid.

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-0236AT

PS How does this jibe with your no-kill buddhism? I'm seriously
asking, though I can see how this might sound like a smart-ass quip.
If you decide to keep the tree, a qualified arborist can evaluate the
risk and help you find ways to mitigate.