This is something that you cannot do by yourself, and I am always amazed when something thinks that they can! A novice has no idea of how the tree will react to cutting, how to climb safely with a chain saw, where and how to make the cuts, how to decide where the pieces may fall. The rule of thumb for a novice is that if you cannot make the cuts with both feet on the ground, then you need to call someone else. Wood can be extremely reactive. A pro would probably fell it in pieces, roping off each segment and lowering it to the ground while he remained safely and securely tied to the remaining portion. Pros know how to take down trees with minimal danger to themselves, yet many are killed or maimed each year. Don't be stupid. Get the $500 bucks from somewhere.

Yes, Looks like Pine beetles have gotten in. You could by Bayer Tree & Shrub Insect Control in the link below, it might help. It Stops and prevents insect damage for a whole year. Here is a link that might be useful: Bayer Tree & Shrub Insect Control

Alright. Thanks guys. I guess I'll just chuck it; though I'll chuck it into the woods, not the trash. At least it'll break down into nutrients for plants that ARE still alive. And I know it's not a house plant, I brought it inside AFTER it died. I hope you're right, Josh, I'd hate to think that something I did killed it... It was about $6, I think. They were desperate to get rid of their remaining plants; another place nearby was selling several foot tall, dormant weeping willows for just $3!

We have the opposite end of this - when we bought the house, we didn't notice the large gash (a long-ago healed lightning gash) in the ENORMOUS pine tree that's just barely on our side of the property line. A couple years ago, the house next door sold, and the new neighbors freaked out. The gash faces them, so they noticed it. They asked us to cut the tree down. Problem is, it would take a crane to get the thing out - it's easily 20-30+++ feet above the roofs of the houses. To get in there, the crane would have to drive over our leach field, which would crush the entire leach field and require replacing the field afterwards. I shudder to think of the bill. Frankly, the tree looks healthy to me. It's still vigorous and doesn't drop branches any more than other trees around. To be safe, I had a tree guy come by. He told me he thinks it will stil be here for years and years, and all the above about the crane. He only knew of one person around who *might* be able to handle the work. I should have asked him if he'd write all that down so we don't look negligent, but I didn't think to, because I really don't think anything will happen. All our houses nestle in the woods. We're the type to figure out how to live in harmony with that. The neighbors let a logger in last summer to clear-cut their entire yard. (I think they're not into living in the woods.) When they had the logger in there last year, I tried asking the logger & them to go the last bit and get the tree, but the logger would never discuss it with me. (I'm not sure he had the equipment, given that it's between both houses.) And the neighbors didn't try and help solve the problem. If they wanted it solved that badly, that would have been the time to do it - we could have gotten a crane in through their clear-cut yard, which was obviously torn up already. We would have been happy to give them permission at that time to get it cut down on their own. We don't have the huge amount of money sitting around that it would take to get the thing out, and an expert's told me it's just fine. They're not actively hostile or anything, but I do know they think we should get it taken care of. What do you do in a situation like this?