I don't want to do this!

[@raydavis2904]

Whoever came up with the old saying "The customer is always right", never had to deal with some of the stubborn, clueless ones I have.

[@wizardsuth]

That expression only applies to matters of opinion, e.g. favourite foods, perfume, clothing style, or paint colours. Facts don't care about what the customer wants.

[@dodsg]

If the home owner really loves the tree, perhaps you could suggest that he appreciates it in another way. If there's enough solid timber left he could have somebody make it into a piece of custom furniture for their home. He might not have the tree, but he'll have something special to continue its memory.

[@BernhardHofmann]

Good call. Stick to the right thing when you know what that is, and you do. If his insurance company heard about this...

[@JosephPSiepert]

I agree, it should come down. Once I cable a tree I feel partially responsible for it, you're 100% correct on this one.

[@michaelkearney5562]

Don't take responsibility away from the owner. No cables!!! In the interests of safety the tree has to be removed. If the man does not agree with your assessment, let it be his head.

[@courtneesdad]

Why would anyone take a chance with that ticking time bomb? Last year we had a high school senior girl pull in her driveway after school, on a windy day, before she could get out of her car, a huge pine tree fell on the car killing her instantly. Its a sad situation, now when Im watching your videos I think of that poor little girl. Its a huge wake up call. I hope this homeowner sees this comment and removes that tree before it hurts or kills someone. He can replant a new one that can grow fast.

[@mjallenuk]

Take a piece of the tree big enough to brain someone ... Ask him to lay down on the ground next to the tree on a nice sunny day... Now ask him if it's ok to drop that chunk of timber on his head... When he tells you 'no of course not' ask him if it's ok for mother nature to drop the whole tree on him when he sleeps or pulls on the drive in his car during bad weather... maybe onto a visiting friend or family member. How much does he like the tree now?

[@alharveyuk]

Trees are alive, they are born & will eventually come to their end of life.One option that the owner has not considered is, as we humans do, is start a new life from the tree.Collect the acorns, or take cuttings now, & start a new tree ready for when the tree comes to the end of its life.This is something I am doing in my local area here in the UK, taking seeds & cuttings from interesting local trees & growing them either in pots or in my woods so that if the original tree has to come down or dies there is a replacement tree that can (if possible) go in its place or can be planted close by as a reminder of that tree.

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Great idea! Modern day Johney Appleseed!

[@peteacher52]

Report this to the local council; tell them what you were asked to do, what you did and what you recommended. Present it in writing and ask for a receipt of query, then you should be covered if anything legal transpires. People need to understand that not all trees live for centuries. Where I live (northern NZ) trees like liquid ambars can grow large and fast and be on the way out by 50 years, yet folk still love them despite the potential for disaster. Aussie eucalypts can be dynamite for "self pruning" large branches without warning! Many trees taken from their native environment grow fast, furious, warped and unpredictable.

[@michaeldougfir9807]

Yes, I have seen this with eucalyptus in southern California. So sudden! We could call them the terrorist tree.

[@wizardsuth]

In my area there was an intense wind storm in May. Most of the longer-lived trees are fine, especially the hardwoods, but there are poplars down all over the place. Not all trees are created equal.

[@dougdobbs]

I'm not an arborist. But if it was me I don't know I would have touched the job in the first place. I think I'd have sent him a certified letter stating how dangerous it was and be done with it. :( Someone down below said the guy was in denial. I tend to agree. No use being a party to his problem, rather than his solution.

[@5herwood]

Yours are some of the most informative vids I've seen, not least because you share your inner conflicts.

[@theshadowpeople1493]

yeah I'm with you on this one that's a big hazard a good size wind and rain storm could bring that one down !

[@Graveltrucking]

Home owners are stupid you can't fight stupid if they don't want to listen you just walk away that tree needs to be removed. The tree will eventually spit the damn thing is a huge widow maker the wind blows, crack and crash. I work part time in the excavation industry when we clear building lots or building roads into residential property its always a fight with the homeowner they want to save trees. The tree they want to save ends up causing problems it gets damaged during the construction progress the tree ends up getting removed. Its like beating your head against the wall with homeowners.

[@Graveltrucking]

Jt T Common sense is like deodorant some people don't use it. Trees are nice but not so close to your house.

[@bourquestephane]

I love trees but humain lives are more important. The neighbors should signal this to the fire dept.

[@gordonreed248]

A tree hugger will ask you to do something that makes no sense. My suggestion is to walk away. No matter what you do you will either be wrong in their view or they will think you are a hero until what you do fails. At that point you will be the person who destroyed his tree. Just walk away and tell him you don't do that kind of work. It sure beats getting a reputation for failing to preserve a tree they think can be saved.

[@michaeldougfir9807]

Sorry, I agree with skipping this job. I'm not so hungry that it's worth the risk. Risk to owner, his home, his family & guests, etc. I can't even afford the taxi to the courthouse when he sues me!! But I would tell him why I won't do the job. That's just a fair warning.

[@GoneCarnivore]

In Louisiana after all these Hurricanes and Tornadoes we've had my suggestion to anyone in the Hurricane prone states is... If you have a tree on your property and if it's tall enough to fall and hit your home then you should have it removed immediately. We aren't going to be able to use a tree to shade our homes and save on the cooling bills. However Live Oaks seem to be unphased by Hurricanes. They won't blow down!

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Good advice on what to plant

[@LostInThe0zone]

I wonder what the current state of this tree is.

[@felixyusupov7299]

I have to believe that an arborist in California (not business friendly) runs a massive risk of being sued simple so someone is held responsible for what is at the end a bad decision made by a homeowner.

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

48 years in business in California and never even came close to a law suite. Fear not

[@WhyKnot]

What are you worried about? The tree had the foresight to cable itself.

[@immiked4702]

Lol

[@MrUbiquitousTech]

It's kind of ironic for me to see this video and all the supporting comments about people that want to save dying trees. The irony is that where I'm at, Northern California, the trend is to kill all the trees on your property regardless if they are healthy or not. I've seen a lot of it, the area has seen a large influx of population in the last 15 years. People sell their houses in southern and central California, move north, buy a house and tear out all, (or most), of the trees on the property. Never understood it, I mean if you want barren property move to Nevada. But to move to a heavily wooded area and not like the trees??

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

I'm also in N Cal. And I hear you. I'm trying!

[@jrapanut0]

been in the same possition several times blair, I just give my opinion and recommendation ! and do my best to be a professional . sometimes people just want what they want ..

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

All we can do is to be as professional as we can be

[@richs65treebucketservice24]

The Tree is Standin like it is with the Huge Load it has....So ..i know it's hard to take the Top off of Trees without Destroying the Folidge below....No Leaves, No Sap Flow,...No Sap flow meens Dead Tree....! Take the Top off this thing down to where you can keep good Sap Flow...it should really stand then...Also for a double security..put your very strong cabels on it....Put them up nice and high so the cables have leverage...That thing would probbly stand for many,many years....! When the Top Grows big and looks heavy....Mow it again.....:) Let the Customer know that thing is very unstable...And He's on His Own...i bet he'd be very happy with Mowing it ....And keepin it alive....

[@stanislavkocur3408]

Omg i work in berlin and mostly people see trees as problems and if they are not allowed to remove them (donno how in the US but here in germany u have to get a permit from environmental office to fall a leafbroad treeover some diameter in the main stemm, even if it is your property) they try to take as much weight from it down as possible. But in california i see lot of ur videos where people love their trees and try to save it even if its dangerous

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Stanislav Kocur permits required here as well. About 12 inch DBH.

[@hughjass286]

Aren't you afraid that if that tree fails somehow and creates substantial damage, you can be held liable because you were the last one to trim it. I would've walked away from that job. The only way I would've touched that tree, would be to bottom prune it flush

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

We ended up taking a lot of weight on the house side but I informed the client of the hazard. My crew was there. Does his problem make me liable when it fails? I don't think so but a good lawyer???

[@knightlife98]

That's what they make waivers for. ;-)

[@TheRenpeg]

How many times have you seen things like this. That you tell the people the tree is a hazard. Then you find out it fell by it self?

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Some people are so attached to their trees that they just won't give up. That's what bothers me about this one.

[@mjallenuk]

arboristBlairGlenn Buy a sizeable tree online ... a LOT cheaper than your insurance premium after it goes through your home! I love trees but not enough to let them kill me!

[@TheRenpeg]

Well being that they have been document warned. That tree fall on the house or anything else the insurance won't cover it.

[@Silicondoc]

Matt Allen Doesn't look like they are hurting in the capital flow department.

[@TheRenpeg]

Looks can be deceiving

[@epicdancelogan9959]

Cable it. And it may not be possible or visibly pleasing but we've cabled trees to other trees to prevent them from falling towards valued structures. We did it on big digger pines that should have come out but just like ur case homeowner didn't want to loose trees. So we secured cable 2/3 of the way up and ran cable to base of another big digger about 100 yards up hill. So if it does fall it will pivot away from house. But ugly and not always possible.

[@chilligut7815]

Man I wouldn't cable a digger pine. You never know where they will break. sometimes they break off at the base but so often I see them snap off 20' up. I saw two of them snap off 20' up during a wind storm. they are so weak and have a horrible balance. Best to take them out while they are small.

[@stuartclark9663]

Blair, I understand why you'd rather not cable a tree, but if and when you do cable a tree, are you required to submit calculations to any authority? For example, if you engaged the services of a licensed structural engineer, they'd have to perform some sort of calculations, as they would bear liability for 10 years, according to the applicable provisions of the Business & Professions code.

[@AWildBard]

How does a tree grow a support like that?

[@pwsd]

good call. The union is horrible. I advise to never cable a tree. If it cannot maintain it integrity by itself. It has to be removed. You are only adding more danger to a dangerous situation, maybe not now but into the future.

[@kendude8089]

Do you do work near San Carlos? if so I will start sending you Referrals I am a Sheet Metal Contractor in the San Carlos area

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

No to San Carlos, but thanks. Los Gatos, Saratoga keeps me jammed

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Just run away Blair.........don't walk.....RUN. Ya gave it to the homeowner in writing I'm sure, recommending total removal due to being hazardous. You've really done all you can do, and the owner is in complete denial. I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole........short of total removal. Some folks just refuse to listen to a professional, and will suffer the consequences...........just don't allow that guy to talk you into holding his hand as he decides to flirt with disaster.

[@daos3300]

what can you do? tell your client exactly what you told us (which i'm sure you did) and leave the responsibility with them. not the ideal solution but on their head be it.

[@knightlife98]

Glenn, can a tree come back from this, or is it doomed when the trunk of the tree is in this shape?

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

scott crabtree decay always wins eventually. No tree lasts forever. Sometimes you can prolong the tree by keeping the end weight leverage lighter.

[@knightlife98]

arboristBlairGlenn Understood. I was pretty sure that it means the tree is doomed, but I wasn't completely sure. Thanks for the response/answer, Glenn!!!! Godspeed!!!!

[@waltwalt3282]

do you get a lot of mosquito bites while working

[@dremwolf5419]

I am getting no audio after the intro music. :>(

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Dremwolf worked for me??

[@dremwolf5419]

Blair, still nothing. Can hear audio on your other videos and others. But not this one. Go figure.

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Dremwolf sound starts about 4 seconds after intro. I don't know?? Try it on another devise?

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Dremwolf try a different device. Maybe one of your speakers is out and I only put it up in one audio channel for sound? Intro is stereo

[@5herwood]

Why not say "Get some body else." Why assist a fool in his foolishness?

[@arboristBlairGlenn]

Ed. Farr I do question My decision