Willow Reduction

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Got this Willow to reduce in a months time (end May). Tis my grandmothers tree and she appreciates the need to reduce but doesn't want to pollard for short-term aesthetic reasons (possible house for sale). Any snippets I'd be well advised to heed? How hard do you think we could go etc? Many thanks.

[Mesterh]

Well you could wallop it back to nothing and it will do fine.

 

Plus they always look good after a few years no matter what you do.

 

Or maybe

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It can be hard to only slightly reduce the side unless it can be done without climbing as they are so brittle.

 

Looks like there are loads of pruning points you can mess about with though.

[Mozza]

Id Get the hedge cutters out and give a lift aswell as the reduction John, Would open the garden up nicely id think.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Thanks, needs to be height AND circumference reduction; you can see that currently the crown is now over the neighbours and needs to reigned in...

[Mesterh]

Id Get the hedge cutters out and give a lift aswell as the reduction John, Would open the garden up nicely id think.

 

NOOOOOOO!!!

 

Thats the best bit about weeping willows.

 

I think the curtain/veil looks great.

[Steve Bullman]

i dont think a hard reduction will endear the buyers to the garden....id go for a (very) light reduction...enough so they can just see its been done, but give it a hard thin so theres heaps of light coming into the garden.....buyer will hardly notice it as an issue then IMO

[Mozza]

NOOOOOOO!!!

 

Thats the best bit about weeping willows.

 

I think the curtain/veil looks great.

 

potential new buyers want to see what sort of space they have tho

[nepia]

As Grandma's looking to sell I'd say minimal amounts off the top and sides but lose the skirt hanging on the ground: get the lawn back. Thinning sounds good too.

As Steve says the work won't then show but the light will be improved and the tree will still look good.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Thanks for this chaps; the first pic is facing north hence little light is blocked by the tree during the day. The time scale for possible selling is 2 years.

 

The tree has had some very minor pruning before - more to clean up damage inflicted by the neighbour to the right who hacks at it from his side where possible.

 

I was thinking of one-third reduction max??

[geoff]

Thin it to let some light through,and give it a lift.then look and see about a reduction if still nescesary.