To cut or not to cut that is the question

[DaveO]

OK folks I have a question for y'all. I know this is probably the most biased place for advice on cutting down a tree, but y'all are my friends and I value your thoughts.
I have a Southern Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora in the middle of my front yard. I like it for the blooms and the evergreen foliage, but hate it with a extreme passion in the spring when it changes out its leaves. It's really not in the best location as it is leaning towards the house to reach for the sun. And the freakin' leaves are everywhere. The concentration of Mosquitoes around the tree are greater than elsewhere in my yard due to the leaf litter holding water for the little beasts to breed in. It's not really a large enough trunk section to make some lumber, but I could get a lot of turning wood out of it.
Some pictures as I know we like them -



And the mess that I deal with every time the wind blows -



I am a tree lover, wood lover and landscaper. This is leading me to a major dilemma. It's a beautiful tree, it's a messy tree that detracts from the rest of the yard. It's not a lot of wood, but it will be a lot of work to take down. I will have to climb it and limb it down, and then drop the stick. The branch mass is so great that it is about as tall as wide, so I can't just drop it as is. But that work isn't going to be as great as the cumulative total of the hours I'll spend dealing with the freakin' leaves.
Audrey says go for it...whatcha all say.

Dave

[TracyP]

Cut it and share the turning blanks with your friends here

[PChristy]

another vote for "cut it down" -

[Jeff Mills]

Dave DO NOT cut that tree down! You'll miss raking your a _ _ off every year, you'll miss the much needed exercise and just think whatever will you do with all that extra time on you hands?

[steelwheel1999]

I'm with TRacyP cut it down and send me a hunk. I live to far away to com and get one myself but just to be fair you can pack it in some of the leaves.

Thanks i needed this.

[DaveO]

Originally Posted by Jeff Mills

Dave DO NOT cut that tree down! You'll miss raking your a _ _ off every year, you'll miss the much needed exercise and just think whatever will you do with all that extra time on you hands?

Jeff I appreciate you thinking about my health and making sure that I get ample aerobic exercise. It ain't gonna happen, that **** sucks.
Plus I will get a workout for a week hauling off the limbs and cutting bowl blanks out of this tree.

Dave

[Jim M.]

TIMBERRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[Gotcha6]

I don't know how the economy affects them, but companies like Southern Tree sometimes buy Magnolias if they have good symmetry & are healthy. The usually come & spade up the tree & replace it with a dirt plug. Had them do this for me on a job about 20 years ago & THEY paid ME $300 for the tree.
I'm sure with your botanical knowledge you already know that Magnolias produce a toxin that kills off anything landing beneath their own drip line to deter competition from neighboring plants and even their own seedlings, so it may be hard to get anything to grow there anyways.

[Jeff Mills]

Originally Posted by DaveO

Jeff I appreciate you thinking about my health and making sure that I get ample aerobic exercise. It ain't gonna happen, that **** sucks.
Plus I will get a workout for a week hauling off the limbs and cutting bowl blanks out of this tree.

Dave

You gotta think of the long term adverse effect on your health Dave - with that Magnolia on the stump you are assured to get a healthy dose of brisk exercise every year with rake in hand. I'm just looking out for your health is all Look at it another way by leaving it on the stump you won't have to buy a tread mill to make up for lost exercise. better yet plant a few more of those leaf producing Magnolias and you'll be sure and stay fit and trim for years to come.

[RandyJ]

I had a nice one in my yard too, Dave. I anguished over whether to cut it. It was a beautiful tree while in bloom but that, as you know, is short lived. I cut it down and haven't regretted it for one second!
Good luck on your decision,

[DaveO]

Originally Posted by Gotcha6

I don't know how the economy affects them, but companies like Southern Tree sometimes buy Magnolias if they have good symmetry & are healthy. The usually come & spade up the tree & replace it with a dirt plug. Had them do this for me on a job about 20 years ago & THEY paid ME $300 for the tree.
I'm sure with your botanical knowledge you already know that Magnolias produce a toxin that kills off anything landing beneath their own drip line to deter competition from neighboring plants and even their own seedlings, so it may be hard to get anything to grow there anyways.

Yep, this tree ain't pretty enough to be transplanted, it's crooked as a politician. Your statement is the first that I have heard of Magnolia being allelopathic I do know from experience that the shade and leaf litter they create will very effectively control growth around the plant. But I doubt that they produce any toxic substances (like Walnut) that inhibits plant growth under them.
But if so that's a good reason to take it down and get some turning blanks


Dave

[Gofor]

Cut off the lower limbs and buy a mulching blade. Rake leaves? Thats for the young and foolish. (Yeah, I know magnolia leaves mulch about as good as live oak, but they do keep the weeds down! I swear they are as close to leather as the plant kingdom produces). Of course, if its a Southern Magnolia, and drops those "hand grenade" seed pods, then a full frontal assault may be the most prudent.

Go

[PeteQuad]

I would not cut down a healthy nice tree like that personally. I have one in my front yard and the lower 6-7 feet have had their branches removed. Get a leaf blower instead of raking. It takes so long to get a tree to a nice size, it's a shame to cut it down. I had to cut down three bradford pears this year and it killed me to do it. One of them I had a tree surgeon screw back together after a lightning strike only 3 years ago. If it's endangering your house, that's another story.

Yes, I like trees.

[Mike Davis]

I'd go with the mulching mower.

It'll take 30 years to get any shade in there.

[JackLeg]

Magnolias are SOOOOO Southern! BUT, they need a field of their own!! I fully understand your frustration.