Pruning beech

[Will Hinchliffe]

Research on the overall effect is difficult because trees are so long lived. We probably will only ever have theories on how the long term effects of pruning is influenced by pruning timing.

 

If a tree is healthy and has a favourable mass energy ratio (excuse my Shigo) it should be able to recover its stored starch after a sensible reduction irrespective of the timing of the pruning. Its more about the amount of material removed, in particular stored starch.

 

Older Beech trees have a low capacity for producing dormant buds so target pruning is the most effective way to go about reducing them. They don't really respond very well to 046's.

 

When revisiting previously reduced beech trees we often notice that when dominant (primary) branches have been removed by what I would call acceptable topping cuts there is often die back. We try to compensate for this by making are cuts steeper making a larger longer more elliptical wound, but this rarely really occludes unless the growth point cut to is close to half the girth of the primary branch.

 

I think a lot of good data could be gathered by training a load of us climbing arborists to do simple starch counts using iodine stains and collecting data on trees throughout the year before and after pruning. I don't know what questions it would be aimed at answering but a good data set could actually make a paper backed up by research.

[Paul Barton]

Wow, interesting replies!

 

Steve - yes, it will be a 'southern tickle' (love that!) reduction - maximum 20% of leaf coverage (yeah yeah, whatever that actually means).

 

I think he is more concerned about the stored energy depletion of pruning around bud burst rather than potential bark scorch results.

 

I'll try and get a pic of the tree some time and if he does go ahead I'll get an after pic and perhaps one in a few months time if I remember.

 

Please continue the debate though...

[Marc]

One of my observations about time of year have been that if you do it now it can lead to an increased vigour, where as if you leave it later there seems to be less reactive growth.

I assume this is a hormonal thing? and can lead to stress depending on the trees overall condition and age. I have done trees at this time of year for these exact reasons to try and promote more vigorous internal growth as part of a staged reduction.

 

I have a reduction/retrenchment this weekend a veteran Acer psuedoplatanus, the upper crown is in decline, lots of dead wood present big cavities etc, yet the lower crown is showing great vigour with minimal dead wood. Its location means it cannot be left alone to fall apart. So a heavy upper crown reduction now, and at the end of next year a more sympathetic reduction.

 

This is kind of an experiment for me, i hope it goes well, and that my efforts allow this tree to stay growing safely for many more years yet.

Anyone think i'm misguided and a fool? as i'm open to better suggestions.

 

For the record i'd personally like to leave it alone to gracefully do its thing i'e fall apart.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I'm of the thinking that if you are drastically reducing the tree then whatever the time will be a bad time.

 

I'm personally think the worst time is when the leaves have just unfurled as this will be when energy stores will be at their lowest

[Marc]

I'm of the thinking that if you are drastically reducing the tree then whatever the time will be a bad time.

 

I'm personally think the worst time is when the leaves have just unfurled as this will be when energy stores will be at their lowest

 

My post is going slightly off topic, probably better off taking a picture and starting a new thread.

The area i'e the upper crown the part i'm working on this time is in such decline i doubt this would have a large amount of stored energy, and the lower crown so vast and healthy i'm going on the assumption this is where the greatest energy stores are.

[David oakman]

All of my books say only prune beech in the summer same as cherry. As for a good time to prune? i have pruned oak trees in mid-winter and i have pruned when they are flushing, the winter cuts take years to seal the cuts i made when the tree was flushing sealed the same year i put this down to the energy flowing at that time of year, mind you i did put stockholme tar on the cuts as the park is full of fungi.

[John Hancock]

Those poor trees, being pruned during the winter months (just so Arbs can feed their families and put coal on the fire).

 

Of course its not just depletion of stored energy and the possibility of pushing a tree from stress to strain….

 

…..think of all those fungal pathogens floating around the atmosphere, just waiting to find a fresh, moist, and succulent pruning wound – Yummy!

[Amelanchier]

This is slightly playing devils advocate but what is the scientific basis for it not being a good time for prunning? I have never been able to find anything definate in the literature but I would welcome some sound guidance on this point. Reason I say this is that although from a photosynthate point of view it might be a bad time (althogh I am not completely convinced) from an hydraulic point of view it is much better than later in the year. So which is more important? My my how I like to make people think

 

 

I suppose the history of the consensus stems from Shigo who in turn derived it from Askenasy who faffed about with Russian fruit trees around the turn of the 20th Century.

 

I'd suggest that its fairly reasonable to assume that phenology (the study of the timing of natural events) should be a factor to consider along with all others but as you indicate Marcus - we have to admit we're assuming / inferring quite a lot of facts when doing so.

[Jontreasure]

As I understood it, the trees stored energy levels are at there lowest during bud break. As John said, by waiting until the leaves have fully developed the tree will have a higher energy production and therefore be able to compartmentalize the wounds more effectively.

 

If the tree is in decline I would attempt to delay the work until mid spring.

 

I don't know about everyone else but I feel that often these things are impractical in the real world.

 

That my 2p worth anyway.

[John Hancock]

.....depends if you have morals or not!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeh baby, bring it on!