A homeowner in Charlotte told me to 'just top it' to fix his leaning pine and I had to walk away from the job.

He pointed at his 60-foot loblolly, said he'd give me $200 cash to cut 15 feet off the top, and refused to listen when I explained it would kill the tree and create a huge hazard.

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.diana3mo ago

Walking away was the only smart move with that kind of risk.

nancy2751mo ago

Yeah, "widowmaker" is exactly right. I had a similar situation last year with a big oak leaning toward my shed, just had to walk away and let someone else deal with it.

lisa8393mo ago

Good call walking away. That's a widowmaker waiting to happen. Topping it ruins the tree's structure, and that much weight coming down wrong could go through his roof. Some people just won't listen to the science.