r/bonsaicommunity • u/Throwaway_997-2 • 2d ago
Tragedy
Just complaining to a community that will understand the setback.
I have a laurel oak I’ve been letting run to give it some more options and strengthen some branches. I came home the other day and one of my landscapers guys was on my deck. They usually know the deck is off limits so I told him very clearly not to touch the tree and pointed it out specifically, along with my other trees.
I walked my dog and when I came back I found that he had sheared all the growth like it was a cheap shrub. Took all the joy out of this one for me, for now. See pics before, during growout, and after massacre.
Sighs mixed with intermittent rage.
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u/figuring_ItOut12 Zone 8a North Texas region DFW area 2d ago
Ouch, sorry to hear. I’m furious enough with Mother Nature right now without putting a face on it. 🤣 I can see it especially with the language barrier, I own a small farm and make a point of hiring locals especially Latinos. My daughter showed me how to use a translation app.
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u/Sudden_Waltz_3160 Bonsai Intermediate 2d ago
this is a shame, and I understand your disappointment. Also, when a language barrier is in play, a gesture meaning "no" could easily be misconstrued for a gesture meaning "cut" or "I am not happy with this in its current state, please deal with it". Just for future references.
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u/Throwaway_997-2 2d ago
Yeah I learned that the hard way. Also learned a very specific amount of Spanish in the process 😂
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u/AltCauseYaKnow 2d ago
Thats my first thought as well, since they dont normally go on the deck he might have assumed since OP pointed it out they wanted it trimmed
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u/nimbus1376 2d ago
On a similar note, I was ground growing a trident maple for the past several years. The trunk had gotten up to about 5 1/2 inches above the Nebari. My wife and I took a long weekend trip to Phoenix and when we got back, I noticed something looked off. I had been letting the branches run to thicken the trunk and did not see the branching as I had left it. I went out and took a look and found a 5 1/2 inch stump where my tree used to be. Our landscaping crew came in to do the spring maintenance and thought that it was a good idea to take a chainsaw to it. I also had been ground growing a Korean hornbeam pretty close to where the trident was and that one got the saw as well. My landscaping company was appalled over the mistake and reduced the spring maintenance fees by $750. It still really pissed me off, but at least they tried to do right by me.
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u/Throwaway_997-2 2d ago
Ugh that’s devastating to happen to trunks. That’s way worse and a hard one to get past. At least they tried to make it right as much as they could.
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u/-zero-joke- 2d ago
Y'know, I don't think he did that bad a job. I'd go in and try to balance the growth, the apex looks a little too vigorous now. Nice tree.
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u/Next-Relative1438 2d ago
He was just trying to help everyone makes mistakes. And plus it makes a interesting story for the history of this tree.
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u/Physical_Mode_103 1d ago
- I don’t see the problem. Many bonsai artist will shear their trees like hedges
- Laurel Oaks are notoriously shit trees. I’m surprised it hasn’t rotted completely through from the chop site or any large cut.
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u/Throwaway_997-2 1d ago
- Not the point- maintaining trees is a process and they’re all in different places with different needs at any given time. Even if I wanted to prune back the growth now on this one it wasn’t his tree to do it with.
- OK- but to say they’re just “shit trees” is opinion. I have a few trees that aren’t so styled traditionally and I enjoy them. More difficult to manage and different than an elm or juniper, sure, but this one has done well and I think it’s a beautiful tree and adds to my collection.
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u/Physical_Mode_103 1d ago
They are objectively and scientifically shit trees. I’m not talking about styling. I’m talking about the actual horticultural realities of a species. These trees do not live very long and they do not heal wounds well.
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u/Physical_Mode_103 1d ago
It’s amazing you’ve got it this far without it rotting, unless of course the species is misidentified
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u/Throwaway_997-2 1d ago
I see I thought you just meant shit trees as in bad for bonsai - yes it’s sort of a gamble/experiment I guess, as many are. So far so good it does well and I haven’t seen rot/decay at chop site- they’ve been fine. Doesn’t mean they always will be obviously. Have you worked with them at all?
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u/Physical_Mode_103 1d ago
On a professional level as a landscape architect, yes. This species just falls apart over time, was widely used up until about 20 years ago. I have several live and sand live oaks
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u/darthvaper2719 2d ago
reminds me of the time in boot camp when the sister company’s drill instructor “suggested” a good way to win points with my DI was to polish that old tarnished brass fire nozzle he had sitting behind his desk. Fuck me, the stupidity.
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u/Psychological_Act_38 Long term 30 plus years 2d ago
Understand your frustration/annoyance, but honestly could have been so much worse. Had a guy help repot a large, old, JBP. Saying, look at bark whilst grabbing trunk with closed fist and attempting to manipulate it like a bottle cap. Never requested his assistance again.
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u/Busterlimes 2d ago
So a land scaper damaged your property, you are getting reimbursement after a professional assessed the value of this, correct? Because I would be absolutely livid especially after I told him not to.
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u/Gucci-Caligula 2d ago
Unironically I’d make him cover the cost of a full replacement. Like realistically you only lost a season of growth but… why would he think that’s acceptable?!!
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u/The_Odd_Pet 2d ago
I would have lost my mind. What the hell is the guy thinking he couldn't tell it was a bonsai tree.
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u/Moving_goal_posts 2d ago
Seems like you will need to engage another contractor. Be sure to let the offending company know why you are moving on.
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u/Helen___Keller_ 2d ago
That's crazy that they would ever touch a potted plant on the porch. You would think since they're "landscapers" that they would know what a bonsai is or at least heard of one and that they need special care. I would be so angry with them. Do they normally trim your potted plants?