What is a pollard?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

a modern pollard is a young one, and ancient pollard was not done the same way. many opinions divide over the subject, best to read all the opinions and draw ones own conclusions!

 

great question!

[MATTMOSS]

Yeah it was me that told ya. I knew I shouldn't have been reading those comments out to the group cos I thought they were funny. To be fair though mate I think he was saying that the majority of L6 students did not know what pollard was.

 

touche

 

 

 

[Chris at eden]

[Stubby]

Its a Vickie ...yea but no but I never dun nuffin coz I was never there but .....

[Tony.Price]

Please excuse me asking this but could someone please explain to me what a pollard is?

 

A good question that many don't understand!

 

Referring to a well known document (BS3998), pollarding should be initiated soon after the tree has established the desired height. It involves not only pruning the upper crown but the laterals also on a cyclic basis to promote knuckles to form retaining them and some existing foliage to sustain the tree. Timing depending on species, vigour, condition, management objectives, age etc. Wound size should be kept to a minimum and limited to a maximum of 50- 200mm in diameter, suggesting that larger trees can be treated in this way in some circumstances.

 

This being said, a mature tree, not being afforded this treatment previously, and requiring reducing in height, exceeding what we believe to be good practice, is not classified as a pollard in its original meaning. Should this same lopped & topped mature tree be retained, it may well then be managed as a pollard to mitigate the risk of the maturing re-gen ripping out at the point of attachment due to decay from large wounds.

 

Lapsed pollards (old pollarded trees not being maintained any longer) may be re-instated although not usually back to the original pollard knuckles due to the likely size of wounds but also the impact to the trees potential energy reserves! A minimal reduction to meet the objectives is best sort on such old pollards.

 

In summary, if the wounds are small I.e. c.50mm in diameter and the tree is planned to have this work repeated on a cyclic basis, regardless of its maturity, it may be classed as a pollard. If the wounds are larger than this, especially if they exceed 200mm in diameter, this would be classed as lopping/topping, bad practice! Management thereafter may be classed as pollarding and would be strongly recommended.

 

Hope this helps.

[Andrew Gale]

I'd say that Tony's previous comment is spot on.

 

In my opinion far too many 'professional' arbs throw the pollard word around far too freely when it should really be classed as topping/lopping; good question to.

[Coletti]

In my opinion far too many 'professional' arbs throw the pollard word around far too freely when it should really be classed as topping/lopping; good question to.

 

This is the reason I asked the question really. Seen so much that was just topped but classed as pollards that I wanted to clear it up for my self

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

This is the reason I asked the question really. Seen so much that was just topped but classed as pollards that I wanted to clear it up for my self

 

I think it's often a 'softer' way of explaining topping/lopping to clients that sounds more professional and acceptable...perhaps they should use the term "indiscriminate," and/or damaging pruning, and then explain correct target pruning etc.

 

However, what the client often wants is topping and/or lopping which can have consequences and future management requirements which should be clearly explained (and ideally documented on the quote, and to say these works are outside the scope of BS3998.) If, fully informed, they still wish to proceed then the decision is yours whether to accept the instruction or not...provided your quote's not too much of course.

 

Cheers..

Paul

 

PS Here's a "marketing opportunity" for those who've spent out considerable sums of money for BS3998, i.e. take it with you and show the relevant section to your prospective client....but probably not when it's raining

[mdvaden]

I've got several conifers pollards. They're six foot tall and next to each other. Leylandii I think?

 

Are you sure?

 

If someone did a genuine pollard to Leyland Cypress, I would expect them to die and not recover ... not in the same way as Yew, for example.

[mdvaden]

Can you pollard conifers? or just broadleaves?

You could probably pollard these conifers:

 

1. Yew

 

2. Coast Redwood

 

3. Bald Cypress

 

4. Ginkgo

 

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