My apologies to the tree!

The decision was made at last. After several weeks of trimming, thinking and monitoring of the shade the top of this Leyland Cyprus cast on our solar panels, we decided to top it. I'm told that it will happily grow back if we let it. We may miss the afternoon shade it cast on the lower beds this summer, in which case we will let it grow back, as I'm still a little doubtful the increase in the amount of morning sun at its weakest will justify this action. As the season progresses we should get more solar gain as the shade the tree would have cast will be replaced with higher and therefore more intense sun (coming through less atmosphere) and thus will be of more value for hot water. However, once we get to April we will need very little solar gain for the solar radiant heated floor and less for domestic hot water. So, if trimming the tree ends up being of use, it will be for the next three weeks or so, and then the mirror image of these weeks in the fall.

Here's the good news....yesterday we did laundry; ran the dishwasher; took two piping hot showers; and ran the underfloor heating for an hour and a half.....all on solar heated water!  (The backup electrical heating element in the water tank has been turned off)  That feels good!

The view from the top with Jacqui ready to pull the top away from the cut and away from me.

The trimmed bit was the experiment to determine if topping was necessary, the panels are entirely behind the tree.

Dropped the top and lived to tell the tale.