Mature Horse Chestnut

[colwoodlandcare]

I need a little advice on a Horse Chestnut that I've been asked to prune back as hard as possible, i know pruning standards ect are 20% leaf volume??? but could i get away with taking it back a lot more?

Would it live if i pollarded it or should i just do some extreme drop crotching?

[redmoosefaction]

You can pollard horse chestnut.

[alex_m]

perhaps a good 30% this summer and complete the pollard in 2/3 years?

[Andy Collins]

Is the tree in a conservation area, or TPOd? If so speak to local Tree Officer first. HC will pollard ok, it can also rot back quickly on major wounds, which may lead to the regrowth forming on rotting branches over the next few years. I would lean towards a staged reduction, similar to that suggested by Alex.

[woodrep]

whatever you do check that its perfectly healthy(bleeding canker etc)otherwise it will turn up it toes.Pruning 20% by leaf volume on a chestnut is going to throw epicormic so you might as well go as extreme as you want as it will very bushy if healthy

[Dean O]

Ask what the client wants

tell them the consequences (as discussed above) and give them the alterantive.

assuming its not a protected tree and you have given them the facts from an arboricultural perspective then its up to them to decide if they want the work done and to what degree - from that point either do it or dont.

[Paul Jenks]

Look up your terminology. Pollarding only applies to young trees. Re-pollarding applies to trees that have been historically pollarded on a cyclical basis.

Removing the crown from a mature tree is called creating a monolith that may respond well and throw out profuse reaction growth that will need to be managed for a time as a pollard might. It may, however, die. It will almost certainly shorten the life of the tree as the large wounds will inevitably decay. It will exacerbate any fungal pathogens present and removing most of the trees carbohydrate store will not leave it in a good position to recover.

However, if the only other option available is to fell it, then monolithing might be expedient.

[skyhuck]

Look up your terminology. Pollarding only applies to young trees. Re-pollarding applies to trees that have been historically pollarded on a cyclical basis.

Removing the crown from a mature tree is called creating a monolith that may respond well and throw out profuse reaction growth that will need to be managed for a time as a pollard might. It may, however, die. It will almost certainly shorten the life of the tree as the large wounds will inevitably decay. It will exacerbate any fungal pathogens present and removing most of the trees carbohydrate store will not leave it in a good position to recover.

However, if the only other option available is to fell it, then monolithing might be expedient.

 

This is not strictly true, many of our oldest trees are "pollards" that were "topped" when quite mature.

 

The fact that their windsail is reduced, as is the leverage of large limbs, means that even though they are often hollow, they are structurally safe and still have flourishing canopies.

[Stephen Blair]

Not as attractive to leaf minor either

[J R Williams]

Look up your terminology. Pollarding only applies to young trees. Re-pollarding applies to trees that have been historically pollarded on a cyclical basis.

Removing the crown from a mature tree is called creating a monolith that may respond well and throw out profuse reaction growth that will need to be managed for a time as a pollard might. It may, however, die. It will almost certainly shorten the life of the tree as the large wounds will inevitably decay. It will exacerbate any fungal pathogens present and removing most of the trees carbohydrate store will not leave it in a good position to recover.

However, if the only other option available is to fell it, then monolithing might be expedient.

 

Bloody hell mate do you ever work for any private customers? If you tried telling that to every customer you would be a poor man!!! Like someone said, see what the customer wants and then do as u see fit! horse chestnuts respond very well if they are healthy!

[Davet]

Well said that man!