Poplar advice needed please.

[JaneC]

We've got 4 great big poplars in the middle of our garden. We think they're balsam poplars, (smell nice and have big red catkins in the spring).

They have been dropping branches for a few years now and the dropped branches are getting bigger year by year. We've had a couple of quotes to have them removed, (will struggle to afford it as it's quite a lot of money.)

I'd appreciate a bit of advice as to whether it's possible to reduce the size of these trees and let a bit more sunlight in. If we had the length of the branches reduced would this take some of the weight off and make them less likely to drop?. Somebody told us that removing branches from these poplars may cause them to "unravel"??

We only have wood heating in the house but we've been told these poplars are rubbish for firewood. Is this right? If we could use them for fuel this would help with the cost of removal.

Lastly, if we had them cut down to say 15 ft. would they resprout or would new growth be really weak and more dangerous?

Sorry if these are really stupid questions.

Thanks, Jane

[Steve Bullman]

We've got 4 great big poplars in the middle of our garden. We think they're balsam poplars, (smell nice and have big red catkins in the spring).

They have been dropping branches for a few years now and the dropped branches are getting bigger year by year. We've had a couple of quotes to have them removed, (will struggle to afford it as it's quite a lot of money.)

I'd appreciate a bit of advice as to whether it's possible to reduce the size of these trees and let a bit more sunlight in. If we had the length of the branches reduced would this take some of the weight off and make them less likely to drop?. Somebody told us that removing branches from these poplars may cause them to "unravel"??

We only have wood heating in the house but we've been told these poplars are rubbish for firewood. Is this right? If we could use them for fuel this would help with the cost of removal.

Lastly, if we had them cut down to say 15 ft. would they resprout or would new growth be really weak and more dangerous?

Sorry if these are really stupid questions.

Thanks, Jane

 

Not sure what 'unravel' means

 

Yes its possible to reduce the height of them, and it will let in more light...at least for the first season. After that you will end up with a mass of regrowth, all of which will have weaker attachments than the original growth. You will in effect be initiating an ongoing management plan after the initial reductions, so long term it will end up costing you more money.

 

Poplar wood isn't as good as most hardwoods, but it will burn. Needs to be stored well as it will soak up water like a sponge if left in the open. Most certainly burnable.

 

Cutting it to 15ft...most likely would resprout. i've rarely seen them not. Would still need ongoing management to remove regrowth, probably every 5 years.

[MATTMOSS]

Not stupid questions at all.

 

Yes rubbish firewood, poplar has a very high water content and takes a very long time to dry out, when it is dry, it burns very quickly.

 

Topping the trees down to 15 ft, yes they will grow back and some of the regrowth could be weakly attached and break off.

 

Having the trees pruned wont cause them to unravel?

 

Trees are living organisms and no amount of pruning, topping, reducing will garentee that they wont drop branches from time to time.

 

Having them professionally pruned may reduce the chance of branch loss for the short term.

 

Cant remeber what else you asked

 

MM:001_smile:

[JaneC]

Many thanks for the advice. We weren't sure what "unravel" meant either

[JaneC]

Thanks MATTMOSS, very helpful.

[MATTMOSS]

Many thanks for the advice. We weren't sure what "unravel" meant either

 

I think what they meant by unravel is that sometimes removing significant branches from the crown of a tree causes the remaining branches to experience wind forces they are not used to and they can subsequently start to fail, if they do not have time/vitality to strengthen.

[JaneC]

That makes sense. It sounds like we're going to have to leave them alone or remove them completely. Thanks again

[treesrus]

poplars are not very long living trees, so start saving to have them removed when you can afford it.

[waterbuoy]

A follow upto Jane's questions:

 

If a poplar is either cut right back to a monolith/pollard, or is felled and the stump left, is there a chance that there will be a mass of new shoots from the root stock? If so,is there any way that this can be prevented?

 

We have a very large poplar (about 110') that was going ballistic on Sunday night as the tail end of that Florida hurricane came through Scotland.

[treequip]

A follow upto Jane's questions:

 

If a poplar is either cut right back to a monolith/pollard, or is felled and the stump left, is there a chance that there will be a mass of new shoots from the root stock? If so,is there any way that this can be prevented?

 

We have a very large poplar (about 110') that was going ballistic on Sunday night as the tail end of that Florida hurricane came through Scotland.

 

A systemic herbicide will sort that, bore into the cambium and give it a glug.

[Stubby]

Not stupid questions at all.

 

Yes rubbish firewood, poplar has a very high water content and takes a very long time to dry out, when it is dry, it burns very quickly.

 

Topping the trees down to 15 ft, yes they will grow back and some of the regrowth could be weakly attached and break off.

 

Having the trees pruned wont cause them to unravel?

 

Trees are living organisms and no amount of pruning, topping, reducing will garentee that they wont drop branches from time to time.

 

Having them professionally pruned may reduce the chance of branch loss for the short term.

 

Cant remeber what else you asked

 

MM:001_smile:

 

 

 

Got to dissagree on the " rubbish " firewood bit . Yes it will soak up water if not kept under cover once seasoned but as long as you do keep it dry it is very good fire wood . There was a chap on here who said he boiled his central heating using it .