To collect or not to collect.

[19Mateo83]

I stumbled across a few waist tall Chinese elm trees today. They are growing in an overgrown area right next to the curb under some high voltage transmission wires on a dead end road. They will get mowed down the next time the power company does line maintenance…or the land gets developed. Even though it is not technically collection time…. I’ve been hearing Chinese elms can take it. The question is the moral one. It is on a utility right away…. And it’s pretty obvious by the amount of crap dumped at that dead end that no one will care. Would any of y’all collect these trees?

 

[jquast]

In my experience, field digging elms out of season has not been positive.

 

[vancehanna]

Why not IF you don’t see any dangerous material or such and nobody is going complain…..
Yet are you planning on a few broom style elms? Sound like that would the final style or sldestination for the size you’re considering.
Heavy chop of top wait for defrost h of roosts and develop ba few brooms …. I’d go for it. Just be cautious!

 

[rockm]

It's out of season, for one.

More importantly, underneath high tension lines is a Right of way for other utilities' infrastructure UNDERGROUND, including fiber optic lines, gas lines and other stuff like control networks for the power lines.. Hit one of those and you're liable. The right of way for high tension lines is not zoned for development. The trees are mowed to keep them clear of the lines. Additionally, with the heightened tension (no pun intended) coming with infrastructure terror concerns--particularly with high voltage infrastructure), you might get a visit from Homeland Security, the FBI and/or local law enforcement. Hope you have good insurance and/or a very good lawyer.

DHS warns electrical infrastructure an ‘attractive target’ for domestic extremists

Domestic extremists have been developing plans to attack U.S. electric power infrastructure, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned in a bulletin obtained by The Hill.The department said …

thehill.com

 

[19Mateo83]

Why not IF you don’t see any dangerous material or such and nobody is going complain…..
Yet are you planning on a few broom style elms? Sound like that would the final style or sldestination for the size you’re considering.
Heavy chop of top wait for defrost h of roosts and develop ba few brooms …. I’d go for it. Just be cautious!

I really have no plans for styles, more so collection to add to my ever growing stock of plants for future use.

It's out of season, for one.

More importantly, underneath high tension lines is a Right of way for other utilities' infrastructure UNDERGROUND, including fiber optic lines, gas lines and other infrastructure. Hit one of those and you're liable. The right of way for high tension lines is not zoned for development. The trees are mowed to keep them clear of the lines. Hope you have good insurance.

All these things you mentioned are way deeper than these little elms roots and are not right up against the curb but I see what you are getting at. Thank you for your contribution.

 

[rockm]

I really have no plans for styles, more so collection to add to my ever growing stock of plants for future use.

All these things you mentioned are way deeper than these little elms roots and are not right up against the curb but I see what you are getting at. Thank you for your contribution.

Really? Look just because you can doesn't mean you should. You have no idea how deep any lines are buried or where they are. Even so, there is a chance if someone reports you to the law for mucking around power lines with a shovel, law enforcement ain't gonna care about root depth at all.

 

[Kullas]

Find out who owns the land and get permission I will almost guarantee its not the power company. They just have right of way. National electric code says the lines are deeper. If they are not the power company is at fault.

 

[19Mateo83]

@rockm im not jumping to dig anything right now. Im going to go the legally correct way and get permission from the land owner, which is not the utility company, to get these if I even decide I want to mess with them. @Kullas is correct. In North Carolina code requires lines under 1000v must be in conduit and minimum cover depth is 18”, lines over 1000v minimum cover depth is 30”. I damn sure ain’t dinning that deep for any Chinese elms, even if it’s got gold roots. Carolina clay ain’t no joke

 

[rockm]

@rockm im not jumping to dig anything right now. Im going to go the legally correct way and get permission from the land owner, which is not the utility company, to get these if I even decide I want to mess with them. @Kullas is correct. In North Carolina code requires lines under 1000v must be in conduit and minimum cover depth is 18”, lines over 1000v minimum cover depth is 30”. I damn sure ain’t dinning that deep for any Chinese elms, even if it’s got gold roots. Carolina clay ain’t no joke

Just providing some perspective. I'm not talking about buried power lines, I'm talking comms infrastucture for telecom carriers, as well as for the power company itself. If you're even near power lines with digging equipment you may freak out the local lawmen. DHS has been freaked out about power infrastructure for a while now. Ever since this incident ten years ago, that almost took out main power to Silicon Valley. The incident remains unsolved. The shooters weren't on power line property either...DHS has reinforced its concern last Jan. about physical attacks on electrical infrastructure.

While obviously you getting a visit from the FBI and DHS is an extreme outside possibility, it IS a possibility, all for piddling Chinese elm seedlings. The juice has to be worth the squeeze...

And yeah, I get the clay thing. We have it here in Va. I collected Cedar elms out of cement-like Texas coleche too, which is tougher than east coast clay...

 

[We're all Mad Here...🎩]

I just moved to Maryland and realized there isn't much dirt in my gardens, just clay and rocks...not sure how to handle it.

 

[19Mateo83]

I just moved to Maryland and realized there isn't much dirt in my gardens, just clay and rocks...not sure how to handle it.

Raised beds work well in that situation…. Or enlist some strong backs with pick axes.

 

[We're all Mad Here...🎩]

Would one mix the soil with new soil mix to amend or take it all out?

 

[sorce]

I reckon you can get away with it.

Just don't be afraid to defoliate, if you leave ready buds it'll open what it needs to survive.

Sorce