organic guy

I can't really match your photos. A variety of pruning, interested by the 2nd photo which appears to show first pruning, how old can you start without killing the tree? Napoleon cedar in Tours I think. Villandry gardens, 1100 limes plus others.

The trees were mainly lime and plane, but others I did not recognise, some willows. 1100 at Villandry castle which take 4 gardeners 3 months to prune each year. Very few were trained on wires, just pruned, some had obviously been pruned to one point for a number of years then let grow out and started pruning at a new point. Interesting the use of "pleaching", same word used for cutting the stem in hedgelaying, which does not involve cutting all the way through. Will post pictures when I get uploaded.

Just spent 2 weeks cycling Loire from source to sea. I was completely blown away by the beauty and diversity of the pruned trees. What do you call it, they were mainly not pollards? Are there regional styles, who decides how they are pruned and the frequency? What age do you start? How old can first pruning be? Just loved seeing so much well managed woodland and wood being used. Did you arbtalkers move to France for work or lifestyle? Any other info would be gratefully received, would like to do some trees in front of my house which have outgrown their usefulness. TIA OG

Squirrel when tree young?

Lay it !

Gate to go with hurdles, own oak and hazel. Put my new planer/thicknesser to good use

Good question. I don't exactly know the answer and have never done accurate enough trials to work it out. Devon hedges on a bank often remove 80% of the top growth. I work on the theory of removing the top to the same % I have cut through the stem, so remove 75% of the top if I have cut 75% of the stem, particularly with big old stuff which is very brittle. My tip of the day, if cutting old big stuff leave until you have "mouse ears" , little leaflets, the sap is rising so the stem is less brittle.

BHHA "skills of the Hills" tomorrow. Anyone going?

We could eat most of the grain fed to chicken and pigs, just wouldn't be such a light loaf like unleavened bread

Type of puff ball I think.

Looks very similar in design to one I have but mine is a different brand, certainly does not have the green logo on it. For what it is worth mine has been fine on a Doosan 85, will not cut 300 but I do not know what pressure mine generates. Mine has a removable blade which is handy as can be used as a grab for scrap or pulling brash out of ditches etc. Structurally is fine, 250 mm cut in willow is about its limit.

You need to make sure your pleachers cannot get blown out of the hedge, hence differentethods of securing them. Crooks in Devon ,different types of staking in different parts of the country. I use string round to make a bundle on stuff I do on the farm but remove string in a year. If you are not exposed to the wind you can do nothing.

Looking good. Important to pleach low as your regrowth will come from the stump(which you have done) Use your axe or billhook to lever over the pleacher so it splits into the ground, not up the stem(Hakes tooth). It will still grow but has more to heal over so let's in more disease. Looks excellent for first attempt

lovely weighted billhook I apprehended from my new neighbour. Wired brush on grinder and then fine flap disc. Don't want to do anymore until he gives it to me! Had to stop him using it as it was in an awful state. Does anyone recognise make?