Tips on harvesting mistletoe

[18 stoner]

As title, I'd be interested in any info on pruning in particular. Should it be pruned back fully to a stump, thinned, or even trimmed?

 

The client would like to retain an amount of the mistletoe, yet reduce weight loading on limbs, with the intension of allowing regrowth. So I'm thinking along the lines of pruning some clusters and leave others, perhaps for next year and prune in rotation if thats best?

[slack ma girdle]

The more you cut it the more it grows. But bear in mind it is parasitic, so it will be stealing goodness from the host tree.

[18 stoner]

So how would you "selectively" kill some of it without affecting the tree?

[slack ma girdle]

So how would you "selectively" kill some of it without affecting the tree?

 

You can't

I have never known mistletoe to have a major effect in the trees health.

Just keep cutting it back when it gets too big.

[18 stoner]

Cheers anyway.

[slack ma girdle]

Cut it before christmas and sell it.

[Ben Ballard]

Cut it before christmas and sell it.

 

That's what I done if you got loads take it to the auction that's held I sell mine to a farm shop that goes to lots of markets and deals in whole sale to florists ,going round florists is good but don't tend to want large volumes at once so a lot of driving about and phone calls .when cut it we thin it as like to retain it

Edited October 7, 2012 by Ben Ballard

[18 stoner]

Ok, I think my opening post was perhaps mis-understood so here goes again;

 

I would like to "harvest" mistletoe.

 

The client likes it but wants it under control.

 

There is a good chance this will be an annual pruning.

 

I intend selling it.

 

 

 

So, IS THERE A CORRECT WAY TO PRUNE IT?

 

 

.

[Peter]

With a golden sickle at midnight on a full moon, like Getafix the Druid.

[coppiceer]

This site might be helpful:

 

Mistletoe UK Gateway Page