chopping down a dead cordyline

geordief

Anyone got any advice for me here?

Apparently there are deep tap roots which may make it really difficult to dig out (the trunk is very wide at ground level)

I do need to make the trunk fall in the right direction and so my idea is to tie and tension it to a nearby hawthorn tree which should be strong enough.

But my usual proceedure of digging down and cutting the roots with an axe seems like it might not work if the roots go down like a carrot.

I appreciate that the wood is going to be very soft but I always rely on the trunk getting a lean in one direction to allow me to make a deep cut (actually I think I will need to use the axe)

Again I do want to cut this down to ground level(I think it may not be possible to get out any of the roots)

Perhaps this should have been posted on the dental forum

Wally Runs

I have removed such a tree in the past. If possible start by cutting or trimming as many of the branches as possible thereby reducing the bulk. A good bush saw will suffice but a chain saw would be quicker but more hazardous. Again depending on the room you have you can start lopping off the top of the trunk down to a safe level. The wood is very soft. For the base, I cut down as far as I could and drilled the base and coated with stump out. The stump rotted over the winter and can be smashed up with a lump hammer. I did get some new growth but this was removed. Horrible trees, weeds to tell the truth.

geordief

Wally Runs wrote: »

I have removed such a tree in the past. If possible start by cutting or trimming as many of the branches as possible thereby reducing the bulk. A good bush saw will suffice but a chain saw would be quicker but more hazardous. Again depending on the room you have you can start lopping off the top of the trunk down to a safe level. The wood is very soft. For the base, I cut down as far as I could and drilled the base and coated with stump out. The stump rotted over the winter and can be smashed up with a lump hammer. I did get some new growth but this was removed. Horrible trees, weeds to tell the truth.

thanks .I think I will follow your procedure (a bush saw rather than a chainsaw which is always dangerous in my hands).

I can't agree with you as to them being horrible plants.Yes the smell is pretty vile and it's a shame they have no fruit and the leaves do get tangled in the lawnmower - and now they are a liability with the arctic winters.

But aside from that they look really nice I think.

Shtanto

If you do decide to go with a chainsaw, make sure you never lift it above your shoulders.

Ours is sprouting again. Who knows, yours might not be dead yet.

geordief

Shtanto wrote: »

If you do decide to go with a chainsaw, make sure you never lift it above your shoulders.

Ours is sprouting again. Who knows, yours might not be dead yet.

If I can use a bush saw I prefer that but thanks for the advice.

One of my cordylines did survive (grew from the base) but this one will never come back now I feel certain .I think I left it too late to protect the base from the slugs which probably finished off whatever attempts it may have been making to reshoot.Now the bark has turned to the tree equivalent of dental decay and gum rot so I have to put it out of my misery.

gardenman77

geordief wrote: »

thanks .I think I will follow your procedure (a bush saw rather than a chainsaw which is always dangerous in my hands).

I can't agree with you as to them being horrible plants.Yes the smell is pretty vile and it's a shame they have no fruit and the leaves do get tangled in the lawnmower - and now they are a liability with the arctic winters.

But aside from that they look really nice I think.

Smell? I'm a little confused, we are talking about Cordylines? I have grown thousands of them over the years (yes literally thousands) and the only time they ever would have smelled was when a bird decided to die in the middle of the crop?
Is it dead and rotting?

Wally Runs

geordief wrote: »

I can't agree with you as to them being horrible plants.

Ask your neighbour as they unclog the lawnmower for the 100th time, if they are as keen. I have seen them in NZ and OZ where they belong and support native wild life. In fact you are not allowed cut them in NZ as they are protected. Here I fear they are weeds.

Rancid

I assume geordief is referring to a dead and rotting cordyline and I can definitely agree that the putrid smell is incredibly strong.

Is it likely that such a rotting cordyline tree would fall of its own accord?
I ask because there is one very smelly one very close to (the other side of) my garden wall!

I would also love to know how you get on digging out the root of yours, I may have to do that sometime in the future, though for now, 2 of my 3 have put out some healthy growth near the base of the trunk and the bare upper branches make excellent perches for the birds.

geordief

Wally Runs wrote: »

Ask your neighbour as they unclog the lawnmower for the 100th time, if they are as keen. I have seen them in NZ and OZ where they belong and support native wild life. In fact you are not allowed cut them in NZ as they are protected. Here I fear they are weeds.

a good point but I don' t have an inconvenienced neighbour and I cope with my own fallen cordyline leaves with good grace (just the one tree on the lawn -now dead:) )

geordief

Rancid wrote: »

I assume geordief is referring to a dead and rotting cordyline and I can definitely agree that the putrid smell is incredibly strong.

Is it likely that such a rotting cordyline tree would fall of its own accord?
I ask because there is one very smelly one very close to (the other side of) my garden wall!

I would also love to know how you get on digging out the root of yours, I may have to do that sometime in the future, though for now, 2 of my 3 have put out some healthy growth near the base of the trunk and the bare upper branches make excellent perches for the birds.

yes that is the smell . I don't think it is likely to fall of its own accord.I made an initial attack on the base with a spade and can see that the rot has barely penetrated beyond the bark and I estimate the circumference is probably around 8 or 10 feet at ground level(don't quote me on that- I didn't measure).
In a few years who knows as you would think soft wood is bound to rot quickly? But it shouldn't be difficult to lop off the top half as a precautionary measure if there is any chance at all of them falling over.
I don't know if I will, make too much of an effort to remove the root if I can just bring it down to ground level since it isn't close to the house and won't even be too visible in the border as it is set back a bit.

Rancid

geordief wrote: »

yes that is the smell . I don't think it is likely to fall of its own accord.I made an initial attack on the base with a spade and can see that the rot has barely penetrated beyond the bark and I estimate the diameter is probably around 8 or 10 feet at ground level(don't quote me on that- I didn't measure).
In a few years who knows as you would think soft wood is bound to rot quickly? But it shouldn't be difficult to lop off the top half as a precautionary measure if there is any chance at all of them falling over.
I don't know if I will, make too much of an effort to remove the root if I can just bring it down to ground level since it isn't close to the house and won't even be too visible in the border as it is set back a bit.

The rotting one is in the next garden so I can't attack it to investigate.
If your Cordyline is anywhere close to 8 feet at ground level, why not cut it down to 3 feet high, it would make a nice garden seat!

geordief

Rancid wrote: »

The rotting one is in the next garden so I can't attack it to investigate.
If your Cordyline is anywhere close to 8 feet at ground level, why not cut it down to 3 feet high, it would make a nice garden seat!

Well I assumed it would have a very short shelf life as it is such a soft wood and would just rot away quite quickly.
That said I thought I had seen one cut at around 10 feet and left as a sort of Doric column (at Kylemore Abbey)- but I convinced myself that I must be mistaken as that wouldn't work...

The Garden Shop

I too had a very large cordyline which didnt stand up too well to the really hard couple of winters. It got very shaky and i thought it was going to fall in the next gust of wind. mine too stank from high heaven and the base was a slimy mess when i eventually made it that far. The biggest problem for me was that the trunk and roots were really fibrous or stringy and made it a tough task to remove. but got there eventually using every tool in the shed at one stage or another.

geordief

Sorry I said it was 8 feet diameter .I should have said circumference.

Rancid

geordief wrote: »

Sorry I said it was 8 feet diameter .I should have said circumference.

I guessed that!

fox0512

Hi

Sorry if this is a little late!!

I have seen many cordys cut down in the past!..and dug up...Many people make the mistake in identifying a dead cordy..Large cordys that look dead, seldom are...I would remove any multi stems that are soft to the touch and cut at the main trunk if necessary ..It will almost certainly come back..

It is not essential that the tree needs to be cut at ground level...just follow the trunk from the top where it does not feel soft to the touch and bark is firm and healthy...and it will sprout new stems like crazy!