Anyone ever tried pollarding?

[treevet]

Was looking for the thread, can't seem to find anything but users wanting advice to build a treehouse. Whats the link? Thanks -Scott

Not allowed to run a link to that on here I don't think Scottscape. Sorry.

 

[capetrees]

UPDATE

I went to look at a couple of jobs late this afternoon and had to stop by to see the pollarded trees. There are six of them and from the accounts in the paper, they were reduced to reduce the roots so the roof water runoff system, to be located very close to the root area, wouldn't effect the root system. Now, if someone asks me to reduce the crown of a tree or asks to top them, I always try to leave as much productive greenery on the remaining branches, allowing the tree to survive, allowing photosynthesis to continue. Without leaves, the tree will die, correct? The pollarded trees, with the exception of one, have ZERO leaves or small branches on them at all. None. How does the tree survive? Shouldn't the work have been done over a period of time to reduce the shock to the tree's system? Shouldn't leaves, at least some, have been left on the tree, even if they were to be removed later once the tree rebuilds? Honestly, they look like hell. Make some great firewood soon if they die.

BTW, is this the right time of the year to have done this type of work, middle of summer, with little or no maintainence as far as fertilizer or water?

 

[Scottscape]

If you cut the crown out of the tree or stress the tree to where you remove too much of the tree the roots of the tree will actually grow larger.

 

[jefflovstrom]

If you cut the crown out of the tree or stress the tree to where you remove too much of the tree the roots of the tree will actually grow larger.

Well said, hard to get the point across to most.
Jeff

 

[capetrees]

If you cut the crown out of the tree or stress the tree to where you remove too much of the tree the roots of the tree will actually grow larger.

Is there a reference to where that idea comes from. Some involved think the roots will become reduced due to the fact that they now have less tree to nourish.

 

[ropensaddle]

Is there a reference to where that idea comes from. Some involved think the roots will become reduced due to the fact that they now have less tree to nourish.

It is a response just as water sprouts on vigorous specimens. Problem is it is a survival response so its effectiveness on aging trees is counter productive. Where as; proper crown reduction starts with cleaning then adds a little extra to shape,reduce weight and let the roots catch up on vigorous trees. I have to do a reduction on 3 hackburys and one tulip poplar late summer I hope to post pics and get feedback. Hackburys are one specimen that seem to need reduction imho.

 

[outofmytree]

Im referring to shigos statement as it is in "outofmytree" user signature. "Tree mutilation is often called pollarding" Dr Alex Shigo

How can you have respect for pollarding in general and then make a statement as that? Maybe I am misunderstanding him but thats just the way I read it.

TV hit it on the head Scott, what Alex Shigo was saying was that people with either no skill or no scruples, will rape a tree with a chainsaw, as per the pictures shown in the OT, then call it "pollarding" in order to make the uninformed believe that this "work" is correct pruning.

I believe that pollarding is much like orchard pruning, a specific practise, performed on specific trees, commenced at an early age and requiring annual maintenance.

I chose the quote for my signature because it reflects my personal experience. Bad work in this trade, and indeed many others, is often passed of as "best practise" by giving it a fancy name.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Well said, hard to get the point across to most.
Jeff

Actually no, this went out with the concept of balancing root & shoot; loss of auxin can kill off the roots.

Auxin-regulated responses include:
induction of lateral and adventitious roots
stimulation of fruit growth
apical dominance
leaf and flower abscission
DNA synthesis
http://www.bio.indiana.edu/~hangarterlab/courses/b373/lecturenotes/hormones/hormone1.html

Topping causes all reserves to go into adventitious sprouting

 

[Ax-man]

A tree's worst enemy is a guy with a running chainsaw. :jawdrop:

Classic case of topping. Might have just as well removed those trees and planted new ones.

Polllarding:hmm3grin2orange: where did that one come from regarding these particular trees????

Larry

 

[capetrees]

This is the classic example of one guy, perhaps the only guy in Ptown thats an arborist, (maybe, how would I check?) and he has the town officials believing everything he says. They have no other readily available option. He also used to be on the board of selectmen, the town leaders, years ago so there is some history as to why he was called. Same guy on other projects has made comments regarding what was done "wrong" with other trees the town owns only to find himself completely wrong. Can't wait to see how this turns out. opcorn:

 

[squad143]

I always pollard right down to the stump .

 

[capetrees]

So I get a call from a guy that wants a maple tree removed. It's on his property line and the neighbors also, right down the middle. The guy that called me has his half over his driveway and it drops junk on his cars. He hates it and wants it removed. The other guy has it hanging over his cottage and loves it because it gives him shade and is reluctant to have it removed, all at the first guys expense. Now, after reading the articles surrounding the trees at the beginning of this thread, the guy in the cottage would like to have the tree pollarded, of course not knowing what he's talking about, he just read about it. The other guy asked if it were possible. I told him we could try but I give no guarantee it will grow back or look normal later on with the remedy being to remove it if it doesn't work. Question I have is, can a maple, 8-10" dia, 20' tall, be pollarded? To me, it doesn't seem to be the type of tree that would handle that kind of trimming well. Anyone with insight?

 

[outofmytree]

If it isn't started when the tree is juvenile then the risk of death by decay has to be much higher. You remove bigger branches, you create bigger wounds, you end up with worse problems.

Then again what would i know.

 

[capetrees]

Took a ride by the site to check out the progress of these trees and they all survived, some growing stronger than the others. They look bushy for now. Nothing like they used to.

 

[treeseer]

if they cut to nodes and the tree has vigor, it may work out in time. a pic in winter wold be nice, showing the wounds. :Eye:

 

[TCinVA]

Our crew pollards 4 large sycamores every winter. I've been doing them for 17 years, and they had huge knobs when I started. They really look unique, we get tons of questions from tourists about them. With the huge heavy knobs, they are a fun challenge to get to the ends of the limbs because you have to use a handsaw or felcos to cut. I think certain species are much more tolerant of it. The gardeners also pollard vitex and rose of sharon as well as crepe myrtle.

 

[lostcoastland]

heers sum trees i topped. there redwoods. the guy might just cut em down now.. I guess its easier to limb em and top em when there in the air..let em fatten up..

 

[tomtrees58]

tom trees

 

[lostcoastland]

i love jobs like this...pretty much logging i love pruning shrubs and arborizing them but it's funn everynow and then to just bust out and top em..spur back down ,no ropes no worries. i carried a throwline in case i got in trouble i could drop a line.. makes alot of sunlight which = grass..these trees are in the middle of an alpaca pen and they noticed the grass has receded over the years leavign behind unedible ground cover. redwoods shed like crazy and kill grass..call me a clown,i dont mind it...they grow like weeds...this is just one of thoses jobs....next week i'll be pruning all week on five acres of these leavign only the tops..which i tried convincing these guys to do but it's just some ol mill worker guy there house is overgrown and they said they finally get sun in the livign room...which is important becasue it rains alot in the winter and is chilly....all he cared abou that i didnt get hurt...i was more concerned about myself too..especially when he might call someone else in to cut them down..theres alot of trees that benifit from toppign but only time tells...especially fruit trees..it's what you dont cut off and who's maintaing them year in year out..idunno...my 2cents

 

[outofmytree]

theres alot of trees that benifit from toppign

Topping is indiscriminate internodal pruning. There are no trees on this planet that " benefit" from this outmoded practise. They may grow back, they may not. But do not make the common mistake of assuming that if they do indeed "bush out" that this is in any way beneficial.

If I cut off your arm and by some miracle of modern medicine it was grown back would you think it was beneficial???