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How to Safely Remove a Tree from Your Garden

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Y ou could have various reasons for wanting to safely remove a tree from your garden. If your tree is damaged and dying, or just growing in the wrong place, it may be time to remove it before it damages your house.

Now, removing a tree, especially if it is a large one, is risky business. If done incorrectly, it could fall on someone or get tangled in the wiring of your home. This is why it is important to make sure you know everything there is to know about cutting down a tree before you begin.

Get the Right Gear

If you have ever dabbled in gardening before, you know that even handling small plants requires that you wear the right gear and have the correct equipment. Similarly, handling a large tree requires some preparation. You will need a helmet, gloves, hearing protection, and safety goggles. For larger trees, you may have to get steel-toed boots and protective chaps. For the actual cutting of the tree, you will need an axe or a saw– mechanical is better.

Clear the Area

Now that you know you will be physically protected from the repercussions of a falling tree, you must make sure that everyone in the surrounding area is also safe. Before beginning, ascertain that children and animals will not stray near the site of the tree; tell the adults to keep at a distance of at least two times the tree’s height. Next, clear out any garden furniture or decoration so the tree has room to fall back where it will. This step is essential for safety.

Aim for a Direction

Uprooting and transferring a tree is much more difficult than simply axing its trunk and letting it back into nature’s life and death cycle. If you’re aiming for the latter, you will have to decide what direction the tree will fall in. Sometimes, a tree is naturally leaning towards one side. In that case, it is best to fall the tree in that particular direction. Remember, if you are the one doing the felling, you will have to escape fast as the tree is falling. Knowing the direction of the fall beforehand is extremely useful in this case.

Contingency Plan

We recommend that you plan two escape routes: one for if the tree falls in the intended direction and the other for if it falls in an unexpected one. This way, you will not have to think on your feet and will already have a safe escape planned as the tree is falling.

Axing the Tree

Now, for making sure that the cuts you make with your axe are right, gravity and physics can be your aid. Instead of blindly making a flat cut along the tree trunk, first, make a diagonal cut into the tree trunk at a 70-degree angle in the direction you want the tree to fall. Cut in about a quarter of the trunk’s diameter.

Once you have the diagonal cut, you can start cutting along the bottom horizontally. Try to make the cut as flat as possible so you can control the fall. The tree will most likely fall along with the first cut you made, and this is your time to escape to a safe location.

Removing the Stump

Once you have removed the bulk of the tree to a safe location, now is the time to see what you can do to remove the stump. There are several safe ways you can employ depending on your preference. For a smaller tree, it may be possible to manually dig up the roots.

If that is not the case, you can buy a chemical remover. This will slowly rot the tree trunk over a few days, after which you can remove the entire stump. Another option is burning the stump until it is gone– but make sure that this is allowed in your area before attempting it as fires can easily get out of control.

In conclusion, even the largest, most difficult of trees can be taken down if needed. At first, safely removing a tree from your garden may seem like a daunting task. But not if the right method is followed. Take it step by step and don’t hesitate in asking for help if you need it!