Topping tall Poplars

[Hill-Billy]

Hi guys. I know how controversial topping is but what are the real dangers of reducing 50ft poplars by about a third? I've heard they're prone to barberchairing. I've been asked to top 5 tall poplars in France. How likely is this scenario? What is the best way to prevent this? Any help would be appreciated.

[born2trot]

I'd be looking at if they have been done before and your just doing the regrowth which would be critical for tie in point imo . Could put kerf cuts in and cut small if in any doubt . More experienced personnel on here than me though .

[Neil Frost]

Instead of 'topping,' you could recommend that they be pollarded properly. Just a thought.

[Hill-Billy]

I don't think they've ever been topped before but I won't know until I get there. Tying-in for a strong anchor point is going to be tricky. I think I'll use a cambium saver chokered to the main stem to be sure of secure positioning using my top-handled saw.

[Hill-Billy]

I've already suggested the pollarding option but it fell on deaf ears. They still want major seclusion around their pool! Isn't proper pollarding only used as a repeat on trees grown for pollarding?

[MATTMOSS]

As someone who is against topping/harsh reductions I think sometimes where Poplars and such are involved its not too bad of a practice especially if it means the trees are retained as apposed to removal.

An example being, I had a job where there was a large Poplar which kept snapping large limbs in the wind and a few people wanted to remove it, we ended up convincing them to reduce it back to the frame work and see how it went on.

It didnt look great to start with but its grown back better than ever, ive been waiting for it to start shedding the regrowth and need doing again, but as of yet its been fine, that isnt to say that it wont need further maintenace some time.

Some trees can cope with harsh reductions more than others and grow back well, I think Poplars are one of them.

As for the barber chairing it can happen with any tree, so long as you know what you are doing you should be fine.

Regards M

[skyhuck]

Instead of 'topping,' you could recommend that they be pollarded properly. Just a thought.

 

Whats the difference???

 

If the trees are mature they cannot be "properly pollarded", they need to be "topped" first and then when re-cut regularly they will become "pollards"

 

Or am I missing something????

[silky fox]

What about doing them off a MEWP?...

[MATTMOSS]

Whats the difference???

 

If the trees are mature they cannot be "properly pollarded", they need to be "topped" first and then when re-cut regularly they will become "pollards"

 

Or am I missing something????

 

 

My definition of a Pollard is a stem 10-15ft tall which is proffesionally managed/cut over a cycle of years.

 

My definition of Topping is a tree hacked off two thirds of the way up with rip cuts, usually done by a brick layer.

 

Not sure if this is right but just what i always thought.

[silky fox]

Oxford dictionary defenition says that this 17th century word describes,"the cutting off the top and branches of (a tree) to encourage new growth."