Pollards, the forgotten art-discussion

[treeseer]

yes, and thats one of the reasons why i always say a pollard should be one metre above the unions.

 

Always?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Always?

 

go on then tell me what you want to say!

[treeseer]

go on then tell me what you want to say!

 

not sayin just askin. 1m every time is very precise--does one take a measuring device aloft?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

not sayin just askin. 1m every time is very precise--does one take a measuring device aloft?

 

Most benign wound parasites, (depending on cut diameter) will cause some discolouration and or decay in the stem which providing they arent aggressive parasites SHOULD be contained in that length of wood, as apposed to making it into the union. hence the precision, a general rule i work to.

 

some parasites/decay agents will get further.

[David Humphries]

does one take a measuring device aloft?

 

 

 

Sometimes, yes

 

 

 

.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Nice one david!

[Perkins]

I haven't had time yet to read all 55 pages of this enthralling thread, but has anybody mentioned when is a good time to pollard trees, or when it was traditionally done (winter?), specifically Beech. Alternatively, is there a time of year to be avoided?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I haven't had time yet to read all 55 pages of this enthralling thread, but has anybody mentioned when is a good time to pollard trees, or when it was traditionally done (winter?), specifically Beech. Alternatively, is there a time of year to be avoided?

 

 

avoid drought years for sure! always leave sap risers/buds at cut points if at all possible, dormant period/winter, if poss avoid the worst frost times.

 

that would be my advice:001_smile:

 

pollarding certainly for fodder to provide for cattle in hard winters or hay shortages would have been done during the winters harshest times.

[treeseer]

avoid drought years for sure! always** leave sap risers/buds at cut points** if at all possible, dormant period/winter, if poss avoid the worst frost times.

 

that would be my advice:001_smile:

 

Agree. **key point** imo

[Perkins]

great thanks, has anybody asked that yet?

 

I've got approx. 10 beech to pollard, see pics. (Lawnmower for scale). Most of them fork between 2ft and 5ft from the ground. It's quite an unusual stand. I proposed to cut them at around 6 to 8ft, leaving one or more of the lower thin branches intact until re-growth was established (1 year?).

 

Comments?

 

Sorry about the blurry pics, it's getting dark out there.