Another tree job

[Jack.P]

17 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

It is a tricky one, birch especially because they grow fast and don't tolerate pruning. There are some really badly mangled ones around my village which I reckon the owners cut themselves.

On the one hand the customer is setting the spec and paying, on the other hand if like me you live in a small community the trees you've done are a kind of advert. I do believe you have to draw the line somewhere.

Funnily enough I've got this email today asking about a birch, can I do anything to improve its appearance by reshaping/lopping back. Don't know yet, need to see it in the flesh.

 

17 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

It is a tricky one, birch especially because they grow fast and don't tolerate pruning. There are some really badly mangled ones around my village which I reckon the owners cut themselves.

On the one hand the customer is setting the spec and paying, on the other hand if like me you live in a small community the trees you've done are a kind of advert. I do believe you have to draw the line somewhere.

Funnily enough I've got this email today asking about a birch, can I do anything to improve its appearance by reshaping/lopping back. Don't know yet, need to see it in the flesh.

It is tricky as well to do jobs like that and not loose the natural appearance of the tree too much .

maybe a light reshaping 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

6 minutes ago, Jack.P said:

 

It is tricky as well to do jobs like that and not loose the natural appearance of the tree too much .

maybe a light reshaping 

 

Waste of time, hit it harder than that. Look at the proximity of buildings and the large wound here.

[Jack.P]

Didn’t notice that .will look crap afterwards anyway after severe bashing 

another for the log pile.

[Stubby]

58 minutes ago, Stere said:

Sure i read that birchs are/were pollarded in scandi countries for fodder so maybe it will  do ok after a lop and top?

 

Vincent van Gogh 470 / 1931 Pollard Birches (1884)

 

 

https://www.ancienttreeforum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/A-study-of-practical-pollarding-techniques-in-northern.pdf

 

Bit late now though sap is up?

 

 

Well yea , he could paint a bit but could he sharpen a saw ? ?

[carlos]

ask them where they want it reduced to then suggest that a bit higher would be better for the tree, then when they say they would prefer it lower, just say the  usual  rot pockets epicormic growth etc, then reduce to their wishes and dont post the work in the " reduction thread"

not ideal but not exactly a specimen tree to get to moral over.

carl 

[Will C]

@Jack.P The customer wants to see the kids drawing of a tree that’s in there head to feel they got value for money like this:

 

If that’s right or wrong for the tree it’s what will be asked for time and time again, just advise why it’s not good a once they say “I get that but crack on” give them the service they want to pay for, it’s hardly a ancient tree that needs protection from idiots.

[Dan Maynard]

Dan, they DO tolerate pruning
Is it ideal? Probably not, but will the tree survive for a good time and give the client pleasure, shade and interest, yes.
Will it be a danger, no.
We have to stop pontificating to clients about about absolutes, it makes us look foolish.
 

I think I am partly the victim of being too lazy to type enough to say what I mean.

What I mean by not tolerate pruning is that the wood is susceptible to decay, they aren't brilliant at occluding cuts and sometimes sprout really unattractively after being pruned or have limbs die off.

And what I mean by drawing the line is not to advocate pontificating, but take a different approach and do more work explaining to the customer pros and cons and maybe push back against work which could cause a lot of rot. In contrast I had a eucalyptus and a hawthorn on different jobs last week, no problem whacking them as hard back as the customer wants, will be fine.

I have agreed a fell and replant with some birch but they were a funny shape with little to cut back to, and easy fell across the cul-de-sac on a Sunday morning.

[Dan Maynard]

Anyway, this is what I did.

The strange looking bit in the middle is sound, there is some strange shadow in the photo. About six feet down the main stem had some decay, I think looking at the rest it had been cut there before so I took it back to that point and then shaped in to match.