When is the best time of year to cut a large branch on a Poplar in the UK

[LiT]

Hi, hoping someone may be able to please advise.

 

I've been looking online but am getting conflicting answers (autumn/winter when dormant v Pruning in summer helps to avoid infection, as the fungal spores are airborne between September and May)

 

We have a beast of a poplar in the garden which is lovely, but we're looking to cut one of the large lower braches to even the tree out + allow our neighbours a little more sunlight.

 

We've had some landscape gardners knock on the door and said they could sort for £500 and that this time of year (June) is the perfect time to do the job.

 

I'd always thought that you had to wait until winter when the tree was asleep.

 

Could someone please advise, as I don't want the tree to become infected, and am not sure if the guys who knocked on the door are telling the truth or just after a quick buck.

 

Many thanks,

 

 

Edited June 5, 2023 by LiT
grammar..

[Squaredy]

29 minutes ago, LiT said:

Hi, hoping someone may be able to please advise.

 

I've been looking online but am getting conflicting answers (autumn/winter when dormant v Pruning in summer helps to avoid infection, as the fungal spores are airborne between September and May)

 

We have a beast of a poplar in the garden which is lovely, but we're looking to cut one of the large lower braches to even the tree out + allow our neighbours a little more sunlight.

 

We've had some landscape gardners knock on the door and said they could sort for £500 and that this time of year (June) is the perfect time to do the job.

 

I'd always thought that you had to wait until winter when the tree was asleep.

 

Could someone please advise, as I don't want the tree to become infected, and am not sure if the guys who knocked on the door are telling the truth or just after a quick buck.

 

Many thanks,

 

 

£500 for chopping that one branch off????  Ten minutes with a pole saw by the looks of it!

[NCSL]

Whilst it is called a 'poplar' stateside, I would call that a tulip tree ' Liriodendron' tulipifera.

Prune at anytime to be honest and you should not have any issues, we prune those all year round. 

As for costs I would ask around get some other quotes.

[jfc]

IMO proper tree companies do not knock on doors to get business. That's generally cowboy behaviour! Use them at your own peril! Pricing seems excessive from the photos.

As others have said can be pruned at any time of year. If it is a decent sized limb (>15cm diameter) it may be better reduced rather than removed, so preventing creating a large cavity on the main stem.

j.

[LiT]

Thank you All for your advice, much appreciated.

The diameter of the limb at the trunk is probably 30cm and extends out to the tips by arounf 4.5m so it's a fair size.

Great to know now is an ok time of year to do this.

The road we live on, folks seem to think you have money to burn (which we don't) - I'll shop around.

All the best,

L.

 

 

 

[Excels1or]

"Landscapers"

[scbk]

"all waste removed" 

(to a local layby)

[Will C]

Door knockers = scam artists.
Get a couple of quotes from reputable local tree teams. If you put your rough location up you may get a recommendation on here. 

[Dan Maynard]

8 hours ago, jfc said:

If it is a decent sized limb (>15cm diameter) it may be better reduced rather than removed, so preventing creating a large cavity on the main stem.

I wouldn't suggest to make a 30cm cut on the main trunk either, whatever the time of year.

 

This is horse chestnut which is maybe slightly less resistant to rot,but same idea that the heartwood in the centre of the cut will decay before it's closed over. This cut was only about 20cm across.