Beeches previously topped

[Vushtrri]

Good morning…..along the side of our property are a row of Beeches that the previous owner topped himself to heights varying from about 15 to 20’.It looks a mess..even more so when not in leaf.. I’m aware of the ‘controversy’ surrounding the issue of topping and it’s possible consequences so my question is ..have I really got anything to lose by bringing them all down to about 8’in an attempt to try and make a hedge of it? As it stands at the moment the lower 8’ along the length of the run is almost a hedge with the current growth..

[Lowestoft Firewood]

Pictures would be helpful 

[Vushtrri]

22 minutes ago, Lowestoft Firewood said:

Pictures would be helpful 

Apologies..have just got them..

[Vushtrri]

[MattyF]

Nothing to loose , go for it.

[Rich Rule]

Can’t look any worse than it does now.

[Mark Bolam]

As above.

Wait till autumn/winter then go for it.

[woody paul]

Have been working on a large old beech tree for the last 5 years and have always pruned it just before leaf drop as advised by top arborist consultant. 

 

[Vushtrri]

Afternoon all….again. 
I’ve felled the offending Beeches down to 7’ in height which is where the hedge tends to thicken out. The fellow had had previously just topped the Beech’s  had also done the same to a number of Cherry which have  since just rotten away. The whole thing was a mangled mess along its length.

For the avoidance of any doubt regarding the felling, I completed the cs30/31/32 in the past and for many years have worked my own 15 acre woodland …but there I tend not to leave anything standing as it’s felled to ground level, hence the question…I know the current thought is to leave wounds to heal them selves but as Beech doesn’t tend to agree with that when having its trunk cross cut…anyone any ideas regarding protection the cross cut from  future decay..treating it with something..if so what?  ..or simply angling the cut to create a run off?

thanks..

[pie eater pete]

On 07/11/2022 at 18:40, Vushtrri said:

Afternoon all….again. 
I’ve felled the offending Beeches down to 7’ in height which is where the hedge tends to thicken out. The fellow had had previously just topped the Beech’s  had also done the same to a number of Cherry which have  since just rotten away. The whole thing was a mangled mess along its length.

For the avoidance of any doubt regarding the felling, I completed the cs30/31/32 in the past and for many years have worked my own 15 acre woodland …but there I tend not to leave anything standing as it’s felled to ground level, hence the question…I know the current thought is to leave wounds to heal them selves but as Beech doesn’t tend to agree with that when having its trunk cross cut…anyone any ideas regarding protection the cross cut from  future decay..treating it with something..if so what?  ..or simply angling the cut to create a run off?

thanks..

Angling the cut may help in the short term but with wounds that size rot setting in is inevitable.  Will just be a matter of managing the regrowth from now on. 

[Bolt]

Good result on getting them down.

 

Working in someone else’s tangled mangled mess is never easy.

 

Personally, if the now deceased cherrys are anything to go by, I’m not certain that anything else you do to the beeches will make much difference.

 

Beech are not renowned for their ability to respond well to pollarding, or chucking out much regrowth.

 

If there is plenty of growth low down they may make a hedge of it.  If so, angling the final cuts will certainly do no harm to their chances though.

 

If you’re lucky, they will turn out to be hornbeams! 😊