Re-pollard of ancient Willow

[Loggit]

Still a bit new to this, but have been asked about re-pollarding this (and a few others like it) main stems are a good 12m so its been left for a while - any views or tips?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

just take off all the limbs back to clean cuts as best as poss and watch it go bananas, then re do every other year, wont matter if it slips past up to three years over the schedule.

[Loggit]

Bril, thanks.

[phirow]

Take a look at some old masters' paintings some showing a river bank. In winter the willow will look like a lollipop. If you require any willow coppice you have a source, not enough done these days.

[treeseer]

All back to clean cuts and let it grow; totally agree with Mr. Hama.

 

Whilst the saw is sharp, maybe sever that serpent at the base, by St. George!

 

Roots do not belong wrapped around trunks I do not believe.

[Fungus]

have been asked about re-pollarding this (and a few others like it) main stems are a good 12m so its been left for a while - any views or tips?

 

Some documentation from The Netherlands on how pollarding of old willows is done. Depending on what the shoots of these willows are used for, the schedule is set on every two to three years cutting all shoots with a hand saw.

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

All back to clean cuts and let it grow; totally agree with Mr. Hama.

 

Whilst the saw is sharp, maybe sever that serpent at the base, by St. George!

 

Roots do not belong wrapped around trunks I do not believe.

 

I think youll find (you look for issues that dont exist!) its an old limb laying beside the tree.

 

Some people like to make things overly complicated, when what is required is some good basic old fashioned arbing!

[treeseer]

Gorgeous images, Gerrit--thanks! Not precisely formed knobs, but regularly pruned, solid enough even for hypervigilant tree risk entrepreneurs.

 

I think youll find (you look for issues that dont exist!) its an old limb laying beside the tree

 

Quite a coincidentally concentric curvature then. What sayeth Mr. Loggit?? Root or branch?

 

PS Pruning stem-girdling roots IS good old-fashioned arbing; been done for lo these many decades, youngster.

[Fungus]

PS Pruning stem-girdling roots IS good old-fashioned arbing; been done for lo these many decades

 

Which would be quite detrimental to the tree if it has formed stem-girdling or root-bridging roots itself providing the base of the trunk with a water reservoir collecting rain water running down from the trunk, as is often seen with beeches (photo's 1-2) and Acer, which are standing next to a compacted dirt path or paved road and have lost or cannot develop water collecting roots at that side (anymore).

And how and to which tree's benefit would you "solve" the problem at the side of a compacted dirt path in the third picture ? Kill the Tilia by "pruning" his main root, because the oak has the older "birth rights" ?

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[treeseer]

Which would be quite detrimental to the tree if it has formed stem-girdling or root-bridging roots itself providing the base of the trunk with a water reservoir collecting rain water running down from the trunk, as is often seen with beeches (photo's 1-2) and Acer, which are standing next to a compacted dirt path or paved road and have lost or cannot develop water collecting roots at that side (anymore).

I agree; pics 1 and 2 show no intervention would be reasonable.

 

And how and to which tree's benefit would you "solve" the problem at the side of a compacted dirt path in the third picture ?

The facts portrayed illustrate that pruning the Tilia root just past the 3rd downright lateral (center of image) would remove the most severe girdling on the oak, while conserving the Tilia, and training it to develop compatibly with the oak. Keeping soil off that area would discourage infection, and regirdling.

 

Kill the Tilia by "pruning" his main root, because the oak has the older "birth rights" ?

Goodness no, an arborist would look for reasonable compromise, not kill-or-live scenarios. Pruning the main root at the right place and time, with other treatments, would of course not kill the little thing. Such a hasty, fatalistic viewpoint does not seem very relevant to arboriculture.

 

Attached is a peer-reviewed chapter on this general issue (from what hama calls a "hardcore ISA man"), just 3 years old. Below is a portion of a proposed standard for managing these situations--note "shall" and "should". Arboricultural thoughts on either would of course be most welcome.

 

83.6 Root pruning: girdling roots

 

83.6.1 Roots that contact the trunk or a buttress root should be considered for pruning

 

83.6.2 Girdling roots should be visible on all sides before pruning is planned

 

83.6.3 If a root is thicker than 10% of the trunk diameter and girdles less than 10% of the trunk, retention should be considered

 

83.6.4 Roots that cross other roots outside the buttress area should be retained.

 

83.6.5 Species ability to graft root tissue to stem tissue shall be considered

 

83.6.6 Exposure and pruning in spring and early summer should be limited to protected areas such as the north side of the trunk

 

83.6.7 Pruning cuts should be made back to non-girdling lateral roots where possible

 

83.6.8 Damage to the trunk and buttress roots shall be avoided

 

83.6.9 If more than one large girdling root is present, pruning in stages should be considered.

 

83.6.11 Excavated soil and fine roots should be incorporated into the outer rootzone as soil amendments

LBG III Managing Stem-Girdling Roots1.doc.pdf