Re-pollard of ancient Willow

[Steve Bullman]

The break at 10-13ft could be a natural fork, got a picture of that?

 

Its been heavily reduce to at least 2 points in the past, arrows in attached pic.  Willows are pretty resilient and can be cut back hard.  It won't look all that pretty for a year or 2 though.

 

If you can stomach the financial cost of having it pruned every 2 years then this is your best bet for retaining the tree looking at its best.  A harder pollard would mean the pruning cycle could be extended to around 5 years or so.  

In the previous prunes did they cut right back to the previous pruning points each time or just selectively reduce some limbs?

 

[DLG]

I believe they did selective limb reduction in the past (probably the reason why the tree continues to grow larger).

 

Here are a few more pictures of the tree.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Judging by that inclusion I’d say it’s time to get radical.

 

There has been some major topping as well as more judicious trimming in the past.

 

If it does date from the 50s it’s pretty old for one of those.

[DLG]

1 minute ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Judging by that inclusion I’d say it’s time to get radical.

 

There has been some major topping as well as more judicious trimming in the past.

 

If it does date from the 50s it’s pretty old for one of those.

Is the "inclusion" the line where the forked trunks meet? Would this tree be considered to be on the large side for a willow?  Rough guesses are about 80-100 feet tall, 70 feet wide.

 

Does radical mean cutting it all the way down to the fork in the trunk?

[Steve Bullman]

21 minutes ago, DLG said:

I believe they did selective limb reduction in the past (probably the reason why the tree continues to grow larger).

Yep, Willows will grow like hell after being topped.  Then it becomes an ongoing cycle.

 

Trees 80ft tops from what I can see in the pic, and yes thats a decent size for a Weeping Willow

[Mick Dempsey]

 

Yes the inclusion is the line.

It’s very big for a willow, lovely specimen.

I am suggesting more radical cutting, not necessarily to leave a V sign but certainly start a pollard cycle.

 

Others may differ, of course.

 

I have battered countless willows like this and seen them come back fine, they do turn their toes up very fast when the mood takes them though, nothing’s guaranteed.

 

 

[DLG]

3 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

not necessarily to leave a V sign

Hahaha, pretty sure that's what the previous owner did to the tree in the past at some point.

 

I had misread some of the previous responses to mean cutting it right down to where it forks  .  I assume we are not talking that aggressive of a cut?

 

This previous image from this thread popped in my head  :

[Mark Bolam]

I'd go up from the V to the next pollard points and build a new, lower frame by leaving a few feet on the leaders coming from here.

In the winter.

[DLG]

Theoretical question, would the tree most likely die if it was cut back to the fork?  And if it didn't die, would the subsequent growth be controllable so that I could keep the tree at 20-30 feet tall?

[Steve Bullman]

8 minutes ago, DLG said:

Theoretical question, would the tree most likely die if it was cut back to the fork?  And if it didn't die, would the subsequent growth be controllable so that I could keep the tree at 20-30 feet tall?

in 22 years of tree work and countless Willow pollards, I can count on 1 hand the amount that didn't come back.  As Mick said above though, nothing is guaranteed.

 

The growth will be more manageable yes.  It would be a case of removing the regrowth every few years