Hit 50 trees pruned in one day for the first time last Thursday and I'm still not sure if it was a win or a mistake

I was on a job clearing deadwood and doing shape-ups on a row of mature oaks along a driveway in Aurora. The homeowner wanted it all done before the weekend, so I pushed hard and hit exactly 50 trees in about 9 hours. On one hand, the client was thrilled and I pocketed a solid day's pay, but on the other hand, my shoulder is still barking and I know I cut a few corners on cleanup. I didn't do any full climbs on the bigger ones, just handled the lower stuff, so the quality might not be there compared to a normal pace. I'm wondering if grinding out a high number like that is worth the wear on your body and the risk of missing something. Do you guys aim for a specific tree count per day or just go at a steady rhythm? Has anyone else hit a new record and later regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

bell.taylor4h ago

Prune 50 trees in 9 hours and I guarantee you missed some. Deadwood that's barely hanging on, a branch rubbing against the house, something that'll pop up next storm and cost you a return trip. I've been doing this 15 years and I've learned the hard way that pushing for a number means you're pushing your luck. My record is 35 and I felt like garbage for a week after, plus had to go back for a widowmaker I overlooked. Slow down, do it right, and your body and your reputation will thank you.

tylerr2958m ago

I remember reading a study once that said tree pruning has like a 30% error rate when crews rush through jobs, which kind of lines up with what you're saying. It's one of those things where you don't notice the mistakes until a branch comes down on a car or something. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather have 30 solid trees than try to hit 50 and end up with a headache and a pissed off customer.