The blue spruce tree, also known as the Colorado blue spruce, is a beautiful conical or columnar evergreen tree characterized by its densely growing horizontal branches. Blue spruce trees have scaly gray barks on their trunks and yellowish-brown branches. They are slow growing yet long-living trees, as they can reach the age of up to 800 years. When mature, they can reach heights of up to 120 feet, with a spread of up to 35 feet. They are usually used as Christmas trees.
As with any other tree, it is essential to take proper and extra precautions when cutting down a blue spruce tree. Whether you’re cutting it down because it is diseased or overgrown, or to use as a holiday ornament, you need to know how to cut it down properly.
Things You’ll Need
● Chainsaw
● Rope
● Ladder
● Heavy-duty work gloves
● Safety glasses
Follow the steps below:
Check the surrounding area to make sure that the tree can fall on an area where there are no obstacles such as wires, vehicles, and structures. You should make sure to clear the surrounding area of ornaments, furniture, and other items; children and pets should be out of the way as well.
Stand a few feet away to see where the tree naturally leans. It is generally safeto let it fall to the direction of its natural growth. You should check for broken and dead branches that may fall prematurely during the cutting process. Also inspect the tree for trunk wounds, which may indicate a rotten trunk.
Determine escape routes you can take to safely get away from the area once the tree starts to fall. Clear all paths to make for a quick, easy, and safe escape.
You need to tie a rope to a strong and stable high branch to allow you to pull the tree and guide it to fall towards your chosen direction. When one person cuts the tree, the other person pulls the rope towards the fall direction. Use the ladder to reach a high branch, ideally at least halfway up the tree.
Cut off some of the low branches to allow you to access the base of the trunk for cutting. Use the chainsawto cut large branches and/or lopping shears for the smaller branches.
It’s now time to cut the tree. Start by making a V-shaped notch, also known as the face cut, into one side of the tree about a foot from the ground and a quarter into the tree’s diameter. The V’s open end should point towards the direction of the fall line. The 90-degree cut will guidethe tree’s fall.
Go to the other side of the tree and cut straight through the other side of the face cut, about two inches higher than the face cut’s vertex, however, do not cut all the way through. Leave one to two inches to give the tree a hinge, at which point you should turn off the chainsaw immediately.
Make your move towards the escape path as the tree starts falling. If you’ll need to run to escape, drop the chainsaw.
If you’re not using the tree for display, once the tree has completely fallen, cut off the remaining tree branches, working from the bottom to top. Cut the branches in lengths that are easy to carry and discard. Then, proceed to cut the tree trunkinto shorter sections.
If you’re looking for a professional tree removal service, Brett's Tree Service is your best option. We provide a wide range of options that can take care of any tree-related issues on your property. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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