My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Thanks

John

In reply to ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Contact the council. They deal with dangerous trees, and it costs nothing.
Well, it costs someone, but it won't cost *you*.

wrote in message
oups.com...
My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Thanks

John

Suggest to your neighbour that he needs a tree expert to look at it, if he
does not agree say you would be happier if one did and contact the council
who will point you in the right direction.
It is a lovely old tree but if its on the way out there is no point hoping
it will get better so dealing with it sooner rather than later would be
sensible. It may be possible to pollard it lower and so still have some tree
left.

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cultivars

On 20 Sep, 10:06, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Thanks

John

Suggest to your neighbour that he needs a tree expert to look at it, if he
does not agree say you would be happier if one did and contact the council
who will point you in the right direction.
It is a lovely old tree but if its on the way out there is no point hoping
it will get better so dealing with it sooner rather than later would be
sensible. It may be possible to pollard it lower and so still have some tree
left.

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwallhttp://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cultivars

There's no dispute, I think he's as keen to do the right thing as I
am, but I guess we'll see the colour of his money when the quotes
start coming in! Access is a nightmare, everything has to go up steps
and through the house!

On 20 Sep, 09:56, "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:
In reply to ) who wrote this in
. com, I, Marvo, say :



My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Contact the council. They deal with dangerous trees, and it costs nothing.
Well, it costs someone, but it won't cost *you*.

Do you suggest this even though it's his tree on private property? I
thought it would be a private matter.

On 20 Sep, 10:34, "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:
In reply to ) who wrote this in
. com, I, Marvo, say :



On 20 Sep, 09:56, "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:
In reply to ) who wrote this in
. com, I, Marvo, say
:

My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There
are plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and
I'm concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Contact the council. They deal with dangerous trees, and it costs
nothing. Well, it costs someone, but it won't cost *you*.

Do you suggest this even though it's his tree on private property? I
thought it would be a private matter.

They have tree people who deal with this stuff. Well *our* one does, the
trees in question were on someone else's land. Most are.

If matey is willing to get it dealt with anyway, then obviously don't
bother.

Our local council, Hackney, doesn't have anything other than TPOs on
it's website. I suspect they would not get involved unless it was in a
public space.

In reply to ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

On 20 Sep, 09:56, "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:
In reply to ) who wrote this in
. com, I, Marvo, say
:



My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There
are plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and
I'm concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?

Contact the council. They deal with dangerous trees, and it costs
nothing. Well, it costs someone, but it won't cost *you*.

Do you suggest this even though it's his tree on private property? I
thought it would be a private matter.

They have tree people who deal with this stuff. Well *our* one does, the
trees in question were on someone else's land. Most are.

If matey is willing to get it dealt with anyway, then obviously don't
bother.

wrote in message
oups.com...
My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

The poplar family is notorious for falling branches, for some reason they
become brittle as they age.

If it were mine I'd cut off all the large branches and perhaps even the
trunk. It's a shame but a person might be standing under the next one and it
might be the owner!

Mary

I always thought poplars were the worst tree to have near a house as
they invariably made for the drains and also caused a lot of trouble
with their roots?

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
I always thought poplars were the worst tree to have near a house as they
invariably made for the drains and also caused a lot of trouble with their
roots?

That's always said but we had two Lombardy poplars only yards from our house
and had no problem with the roots. That's just our experience, of course, it
doesn't mean that the saying isn't true.

One of ours blew down during a 90mph wind years ago. It's roots did spread
very far out - but in all directions, they weren't far under the surface.
Next door's lawn was uprooted :-( Luckily the branches were caught in the
fork of a pear tree at the other side of the garden so we could still get
underneath to deal with it.

Mary

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

wrote in message
oups.com...
My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?


Change the setting. 50 is way too much. :-))

Steve

shazzbat wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
My neighbour has a lovely big black poplar. Last night a big old
branch dropped out of hte sky and squashed my garden:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The inside of the branch is really rotten:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1384782...n/photostream/

The pale stuff is nice strong wood, the darker brown is just squishy
goo.

He's a decent chap and immediately accepted responsibility for
clearing up. What I'm worried about is how safe the tree is. There are
plenty more big branches that could fall on me or my kids, and I'm
concerned that the rot might be in other branches.

Any tree experts in the house? What needs to be done now?


Change the setting. 50 is way too much. :-))

Steve


Get your neighbour to contact his insurance company, they may well be
happy to pay for someone to come out and declare it safe of not.

On 20 Sep, 12:15, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message

...

I always thought poplars were the worst tree to have near a house as they
invariably made for the drains and also caused a lot of trouble with their
roots?

That's always said but we had two Lombardy poplars only yards from our house
and had no problem with the roots. That's just our experience, of course, it
doesn't mean that the saying isn't true.

One of ours blew down during a 90mph wind years ago. It's roots did spread
very far out - but in all directions, they weren't far under the surface.
Next door's lawn was uprooted :-( Luckily the branches were caught in the
fork of a pear tree at the other side of the garden so we could still get
underneath to deal with it.


There's a row of these poplars along the bottom of our gardens. The
story is that there was a stream running aloing there and it was
market gardens before they built on it. The trees are known to be
thirsty and were put there deliberately to drain the ground - quite
progressive thinking for Victorian builders. 100+ years later they are
still there. We had boreholes sunk next to our house and the roots
have not invaded, but they are definitely on the higher-risk list for
insurance purposes.

"aboleth" wrote in message
ps.com...
On 20 Sep, 12:15, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message

...

I always thought poplars were the worst tree to have near a house as
they
invariably made for the drains and also caused a lot of trouble with
their
roots?

That's always said but we had two Lombardy poplars only yards from our
house
and had no problem with the roots. That's just our experience, of course,
it
doesn't mean that the saying isn't true.

One of ours blew down during a 90mph wind years ago. It's roots did
spread
very far out - but in all directions, they weren't far under the surface.
Next door's lawn was uprooted :-( Luckily the branches were caught in
the
fork of a pear tree at the other side of the garden so we could still get
underneath to deal with it.


There's a row of these poplars along the bottom of our gardens. The
story is that there was a stream running aloing there and it was
market gardens before they built on it. The trees are known to be
thirsty and were put there deliberately to drain the ground - quite
progressive thinking for Victorian builders.

Why shouldn't Victorian builders be progressive? Many of the houses they
built are still standing and desirable, the same can't be said for many
modern ones.

And if there were market gardens on the ground the land wouldn't need
draining - unless the gardeners were growing rice.

Most long rows of poplars are planted as windbreaks rather than to reduce
water levels.

100+ years later they are
still there. We had boreholes sunk next to our house and the roots
have not invaded, but they are definitely on the higher-risk list for
insurance purposes.

That just wshows how unenlightened are insurance companies. They work on
legend rather than research.

I've just heard about a house built of wool which has had to be demolished
because it's a fire hazard! Wool won't burn, firemen's suits are - or were -
made from wool. At the weekend I was wearing felted wool gloves to deal with
my fire - the same ones used by blacksmiths.

There are too many myths around in our 'progressive' age.

Mary

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"aboleth" wrote in message
ps.com...
On 20 Sep, 12:15, "Mary Fisher" wrote:
"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message

...


That just wshows how unenlightened are insurance companies. They work on
legend rather than research.

I've just heard about a house built of wool which has had to be demolished
because it's a fire hazard! Wool won't burn, firemen's suits are - or
were -
made from wool. At the weekend I was wearing felted wool gloves to deal
with
my fire - the same ones used by blacksmiths.

There are too many myths around in our 'progressive' age.

Mary


I do not know the particular circumstances of the wool house, but your
statement that wool will not burn is only partially true, raw wool is highly
flammable and burns with intense heat and was considered a dangerous cargo.
once washed and fulled or felted then it is indeed fire retardant.

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cultivars