Hamas big reduction/pruning thread!

[Mark Bolam]

I'm referring to Hama's post there!

[Dean Lofthouse]

If your suggesting epicormic production is the direct result of harm, then what about the epi cormic produced when a limb fails and opens the cambium and inner crown to light?

 

Eventualy epicormic growth matures and forms a new scaffold, in time it grows in keeping with the natural form of a tree, encouraging it can sometimes give us an oportunity to crown restore, and even replace a limb that was lost, or allowing a few epis to develop in an over thinned tree to a make a better form and b and easier safer climb next time

 

So you are leaving a trail of epicormic flushes all over the place.

 

Natural scaffold of trees does not consist of hundreds of vertical dead straight poles.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I agree, but if I'm giving advice I generally wouldn't hit them so hard in one prune. With mature trees its often done over a couple of seasons.

 

 

Don't take this as a criticism, I'm interested to see your approach.

 

most of these trees are re prunes, and well adapted to the cyclic pruning, it is always a balance, what clients want is as much off as possible/value for money. What i want is to achieve best form and function and balancing that fine line is something I believe i do VERY well, wether you agree or not is fine.

 

I have been at this a LONG time and I know what I am doing, and I/we get called back time after time after time

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Is that a Beech between the 2 blue transits? Thats a bit too hard for my taste.

 

Would I do that to a beech?

 

Should have gone to spec savers gibbon!

 

LIME

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

So you are leaving a trail of epicormic flushes all over the place.

 

Natural scaffold of trees does not consist of hundreds of vertical dead straight poles.

 

After three to four years those straight poles develope side branches. These often (side growth) take over as the vertical tips get shaded out and encouriging this new lateral tip leader restores scaffold, restoration pruning is on a time scale thing, you need to understand the progressive development of new growth.

 

Sorry that sounded patronising and wasnt meant to!

[Dean Lofthouse]

I have been at this a LONG time and I know what I am doing, and I/we get called back time after time after time

 

I'm not suprised......to remove the epicormic ??

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I'm not suprised......to remove the epicormic ??

 

Thanks dean!

 

Oh Boy, i knew this was more trouble than its worth!

[Dean Lofthouse]

After three to four years those straight poles develope side branches. These often (side growth) take over as the vertical tips get shaded out and encouriging this new lateral tip leader restores scaffold, restoration pruning is on a time scale thing, you need to understand the progressive development of new growth.

 

Sorry that sounded patronising and wasnt meant to!

 

So you have a straight pole with a lateral leader ??

 

Not very natural looking is it ?

 

Dont take this the wrong ay Tony but I advise customer away from what they want if it involves heavy reductions or thins, not meet them half way because I have a financial need. In the long run you are only creating more work for your selves and a headache for the client in terms of aggressive new growth.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Dean Lofthouse
Forgot smilie

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

So you have a straight pole with a lateral leader ??

 

Not very natural looking is it ?

 

Dont take this the wrong ay Tony but I advise customer away from what they want if it involves heavy reductions or thins, not meet them half way because I have a financial need. In the long run you are only creating more work for your selves and a headache for the client in terms of aggressive new growth.

 

I am suggesting using the new lateral growth from a maturing epi as a side scaffold, tip/leader reduced off.

 

Dean, can you put one of your reductions in? I will tell you what I think yours will do, compaired whith what you THINK will happen!

[gibbon]

most of these trees are re prunes, and well adapted to the cyclic pruning, it is always a balance, what clients want is as much off as possible/value for money. What i want is to achieve best form and function and balancing that fine line is something I believe i do VERY well, wether you agree or not is fine.

 

I have been at this a LONG time and I know what I am doing, and I/we get called back time after time after time

 

Maybe being in a more urban environment you have different requirements from your clients than I do. I don't mean to imply you don't know what your doing.

 

The majority (by no means all) of our reductions are carried out on mature trees to reduce the size/weight of crowns or limbs rather than controlling the size of potentially big Beech (or LIME) in gardens. We seem to have a differing client base and perhaps thats why we have different approaches to pruning.