Pruning silver birch

[CABennett]

Hi, I would be grateful for some advice. A client want's their silver birch pruning because it's shedding too many seeds and making too much mess at their holiday rental. I can't see how pruning it would reduce the mess or solve the problem but I'd like to give it a go. Would it bee bad practice to take out the tops? It seems quite an unconventional shape to me so I was hoping to give it more of a natural looking shape. Any advice would be very appreciated. 

 

Colin

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by CABennett

[sime42]

If you decide to give it a go, be prepared to be disappointed in a couple of years. Make sure the customer is too. Sorry but Silver Birch doesn't like being pruned at all. It tends to look a bit crap for ever afterwards. It over compensates with regrowth and/or the cut limbs rapidly die off and decay. Plus it won't stop it dropping all the seeds and twiggy stuff all the time.

 

If you do do it it needs to be when the tree is dormant, so winter, after the leaves have dropped. They bleed copious sap when cut otherwise. Like a rapidly dripping tap, literally.

 

[coppice cutter]

Lovely tree, the feckers don't deserve it as they plainly don't appreciate it.

 

Anyways, Betula Pendula, Weeping Silver Birch I'd say.

 

More info here,

StackPath

WWW.GARDENINGKNOWHOW.COM

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Silver birch can be pruned no problem, what you’re proposing with that line is eminently doable.

 

They do bleed a bit in spring, when the days start lengthening and before the leaves have come out.

Important to go back to live growth otherwise the blind end sometimes just dies.

You will get rot pockets so you can usually reprune to previous cuts maybe 3 times before either coming back underneath to start a new cycle or a complete removal.

 

Never heard it called a weeping birch. I would say Betula  Pendula Pleurer is a weeping birch.

Edited September 3, 2022 by Mick Dempsey

[Dendrologen]

This is a classic. The client will only be disappointed when they see that this has no noticeable effect on how much crap drops onto their yard. They'd be better off scooting round with a leaf blower every now and then. The price you pay for living alongside nature and a very small one. I would tell them that and say that you can thin and reduce it anyway for them, if they really want. Personally, I wouldn't top out any tree unless it was exceptional circumstances. Never recovers well, increases risk of branch failure and looks crap. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[coppice cutter]

8 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Never heard it called a weeping birch.

There's Silver Birch and Weeping Silver Birch, I have both.

 

That looks exactly like the weepers.

 

I always thought they were both Betula Pendula but that's only because I never heard the weepers being called anything else.

[Vedhoggar]

Can't see pruning birch as described is going to make much difference, would be better in my view to remove tree if seed and leaves a problem for owner however it does looks like the tree has a weak union at the base of and is a car park area so work proposed might be considered as remedial work although it ought to be pointed out to owner that pruning the tree is not going to make much difference with respect to seed and leaf fall and that the tree will throw out new shoots. It seems a good year for birch seed this year in places so might be perceived as more of a problem. 

[Con]

If you are going to do it, you are starting a cycle of regular maintenance.  I don't think the amount you're talking about reducing it by will make any difference to the leaf, seed shedding issue. If they are determined though, the advice you give them  won't make any difference. That's my experience anyway.

[Mick Dempsey]

1 hour ago, coppice cutter said:

There's Silver Birch and Weeping Silver Birch, I have both.

 

That looks exactly like the weepers.

 

I always thought they were both Betula Pendula but that's only because I never heard the weepers being called anything else.

I think you mean white birch (bétula pubescens) when you say silver birch. 
 

[CABennett]

Great advice, thanks. The owner has named the cottage Silver Birch, so removing its isn't an option. I'll advise her about the cycle of extra maintenance and progressive reductions and she might change her mind. If I go ahead,I'll take less of the tops out than my line showed. It would be a shame to damage it. because they're very fond of the trees.

 

Cheers

 

Colin