crown restoration advice and tips please

[Stephen Blair]

i am really getting into reducing rather that topping, but what do you do when you have to try and do something with a heavilly topped tree, full of rot and vigerous regrowth? I had 2 to do today, the first was a sycamore, nothing huge, now the top of the crown was new straight growth and the sides hadnt really been done before, so they were more natural looking than the top, now the new growth had a lot of rot from the previous cuts and they were straight as pokers with tiny side shoots. I took about 2 hours on this tree, really taking my time with my invisible mentor Hammy sitting on my shoulder :001_tongue:the second tree was a lime and had been hammered before with no internal growth just lots of straight stems with loads of crossers and dead ends, so i just removed them and took a small amount out the top to try and let light in to encourage some internal growth. So on the sycamore i thinned and reduced the sides and took the top well down, there was just nothing ontop to play with and i wasnt leaving a jaggy top. And being on the coast it was one sided to start with, but i am quite pleased with the outcome tbh, i would of previously just cut it all below the last cuts and made a lollipop:blushing:

Any advice welcome, thanks:001_smile:

[Stephen Blair]

i forgot to say, they wanted it low enough so the nieghbours could get their view back:sneaky2:

[testcricket01]

looks gd that mate very nice shape to it. top job.

[Mac McLennan]

Unfortunately Steve, once a tree has been topped / pollarded it is usually difficult in getting it back to anything like it's former glory. Sometimes you can thin out the heavier branches to leave some form of crown that can cope with wind bearing effects (the topping/pollard points will be weak).

 

Admire the fact that you are spending the time trying to sort it tho.

 

POSTED BEFORE YOUR SECOND LOT OF PHOTO'S

Edited March 12, 2010 by Mac McLennan

[Stephen Blair]

thanks, i just dont know if i am being harsh cutting as much off. i just cant make anything out of the straight new growth.

[Mesterh]

Looks like you did a good job:thumbup1:

 

Sometimes it just has to come back to the knuckle(but leave it on dont cut below the old cuts) but depending on what growth points there are and how long its been before the last prune (prob most important bit)and how much time you want to spend, you can start to get a bit of shape back just like you have there.

[Stephen Blair]

one for monkeyd as well:biggrin:

[testcricket01]

thanks, i just dont know if i am being harsh cutting as much off. i just cant make anything out of the straight new growth.

 

i reackon you cut off just right amount, looks like good shape, still looks like a tree and its taken alot of weight off the weak new growth. dont you just hate getting round trees that have been pollarded or topped and then left for 10 years to grow up 20ft above old cuts thats what i been doing all week lol

[Mark Bolam]

Nicely polished, for turds!

 

No point in asking who hammered them in the first place is there?

[Mick Stockbridge]

Liking that:thumbup1:You're gonna be as good as Rich and Hama at reductions soon:thumbup1: