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PeterGG

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  1. PeterGG
    Tree Care 101: What Is Tree Surgery?
    Have you heard of tree surgeons? How about tree surgery? Both play vital roles in tree health, and they are important for the overall wellbeing of these plants and those who have them on their property.
     
    While working as a tree surgeon can be potentially dangerous, it's important to know that these professionals take their jobs seriously and that they'll be able to help your tree whenever it might need it. But what exactly do they do, and what does tree surgery even entail?
    Read on to learn everything you need to know about both.
     
    What Is Tree Surgery?
    Put simply, tree surgery helps your tree's preservation and overall lifespan. It involves any aspect of tree care that might aid in this process, and it can even involve removing dead or dangerous trees and planting new ones as needed.
     
    A lot of trees that end up needing removal are already sick, dead, or dying. Their removal means less chance of that disease spreading to other healthy trees, and it is an overall safe move to make if you live in an area surrounded by trees.
     
    If the whole tree isn't damaged, however, then tree surgery can simply involve removing the diseased parts of a tree to prevent it from spreading throughout the rest of the organism. Tree surgeons perform these tasks, along with a host of other things.
     
    What Does a Tree Surgeon Do?
    Regular maintenance plays a significant role in their job, and it makes up a substantial portion of the work tree surgeons do. Here are a few things that all tree surgeons are going to (or should) be able to do:
     
    ·         Crown reduction and lifting
    ·         Tree felling
    ·         Tree stump and root removal or grinding
    ·         Emergency tree work
    ·         Tree pollarding
    ·         Dead wooding
    ·         Tree surveys
     
    The "crown" of your tree is the canopy of its branches. Reducing the crown simply means pruning branches evenly throughout the entire crown. If pruning is never carried out, it can affect how much light gets through to organisms below, and it will play a role in how much they grow.
     
    Crown lifting helps achieve this same thing, but it lifts the canopy to a new height so light can get through. In some cases, a tree surgeon or an arborist may find that a tree needs to be removed altogether, which is tree felling.
     
    Caring for Stumps
    When a tree is removed, the stump must be removed as well, and roots should be removed separately. A tree surgeon will typically bring in a stump grinder to destroy anything that is left in the ground, along with the roots.
     
    Other times, stump removal may not be necessary, meaning that further treatment will be given to ensure everything grows back properly.
     
    Tree Pollarding and Deadwooding
    Tree pollarding is like branch removal because that is what the process entails, but in this case, all of the branches are going to be removed. Only the tree trunk is going to remain, and it is meant to encourage new growth in the entire tree itself.
     
    You do not have to take that route, though. You can always opt to only remove the necessary portions of the tree itself.
     
    Deadwooding is one of the methods that involve only taking what is necessary from the tree. It is the practice of removing only dead portions of a tree, and it cuts away loose and/or dying branches whenever it is needed. Typically, this route is going to be taken after a storm when branches are knocked loose.
     
    Tree Surgeon vs. Arborist
    Before we list the differences between these professions, it is important to note that they are both qualified to conduct services on trees around your home. he two terms are even used interchangeably.
     
    An arborist, however, is going to hold a formal degree in horticulture, arboriculture, forestry, plant or environmental science, or some other related field, while a tree surgeon does not require a degree.
     
    Arborists must have the right certifications such as City & Guilds NVQ’s to perform their jobs, and they should also have on-site experience.
    So, while a tree surgeon is going to perform the necessary treatments on trees, an arborist can be thought of as the doctor — performing check-ups throughout a tree's life and caring for it, as necessary.
     
    They will be able to help you know where certain trees can thrive, and where others are not going to do so well. They can also diagnose and create treatment plans for your trees, while a tree surgeon is typically going to be the one performing the treatments, as necessary.
     
    When Is Tree Surgery Necessary?
    When is tree surgery necessary, though? In a lot of cases, a tree surgeon is going to perform regular maintenance on a tree, as well as give emergency treatments when it is necessary.
     
    So, whenever a tree needs to be felled, or shrubs or branches need to get pruned, a tree surgeon is more than likely going to be the one performing those tasks.
     
    Emergency treatments are usually necessary when a storm passes through your area, a tree falls, or some other scenario causes damage to the trees around your home. In cases like these, you can call and schedule emergency tree services, which are going to help bring your tree back to its former glory.
     
    Need a Tree Surgery Company?
    If you need a tree surgery company, it is important to act fast. You might think it is a clever idea to try and fix things yourself, but certain issues are best left to the professionals.
     
    Tree health is important not only for the environment but also for the safety of those living around them. That is why, no matter the tree service you are looking for, Graftin Gardeners is a perfect choice. Not only can our tree surgeons be there any time you need it, but they can get the job done properly the first time, every time.
     
    Contact us today to book a free consultation.
  2. PeterGG
    The Hornbeam Tree (Carpinus betulus), is a tough a tree as any. It is both beautiful and useful with leaf cover all year round, making it a haven for a lot of wildlife through the winter months.
     
    The Hornbeam is also known as the common hornbeam or European hornbeam and it is a native species from the Betulaceae family.
    When hornbeam trees reach maturity, they can be as high as 30 metres. They can also live for over 300 years.
     
    What do Hornbeam Trees Look Like?
    The Hornbeam is a broadleaf, deciduous tree with light grey bark. The bark has vertical marking and the trunk is often twisted with ridges as it ages. The hornbeam's twigs are a grey-brown colour and appear slightly hairy. In terms of its leaf buds, these look similar to those of the beech tree but they curve slightly at their tips and are shorter. They have an oval shape and pointed tip. To distinguish between the hornbeam and the beech, you will notice that the beech has wavy edges while the hornbeams are more like fine-toothed edges. The leaves look pleated and the seeds are between 3 and 6 mm long. They’re held in place by a three0lobed leafy bract.
     
    During the cooler months, the hornbeam is recognisable by its distinctive paper-like seeds that hand in clusters during autumn. Leaf buds present themselves pressed against the twigs. In autumn, the leaves turn from green to golden yellow and then orange and most of them stay on the tree through the winter.
     
    Hornbeam Tree Flowers and Fruits
    The hornbeam tree is monoecious. This means that it grows both female and male catkins on the same tree. When the tree is pollinated by the wind, the female catkins become papery, green-winged fruits that are called samaras.
     
    Where Can You Find Hornbeams?
    The hornbeam is native to the south of the UK. These trees are found naturally in oak woodlands and will often be pollarded or coppiced. In Europe, there are only two species of hornbeam but in East Asia, there are between 30 and 40 different species.
     
    How Valuable Are Hornbeams to Wildlife and Ecology?
    Just like the similar-looking beech tree, a hedge made from hornbeam trees will not lose its leaves through the winter. This means it provides shelter for wildlife and many small mammals and birds will use the hornbeam hedge for nesting, roosting and foraging. This tree species is also a food for many species of moth caterpillars, this includes nut tree tussocks. Small mammals, tits and finches eat the hornbeam’s seeds during the autumn months.
     
    Symbolism and Mythology Associated with The Hornbeam Tree
    Due to the hornbeam’s strength, the Ancient Romans would make chariots out of the wood.
    In an area of Northern France called Valenciennes, there is a tradition to put a branch of a hornbeam tree in front of the door belonging to your sweetheart.
     
    Hornbeam Uses
    The timber of the hornbeam tree is a pale cream colour and has a grain that is flecked. The wood is extremely hard and is the hardest timber available in Europe. These days, hornbeam wood is used for flooring, wood-turning and furniture. In the past, however, the wood would be used for ox yokes. These devices joined oxen together as they ploughed the land. The beam of wood would have been attached to the horns of the oxen and this might be where the tree got its name ‘hornbeam’. There is another theory too, however. In old English, ‘horn’ meant ‘hard’ and the word ‘beam’ meant ‘tree’ so the hornbeam means ‘hard tree’.
     
    Hornbeam wood has also been used in making coach wheels, windmill and watermill cogs, wood screws, piano hammers and butchers’ blocks. As well as this, the wood was also pollarded and coppiced to make poles. Finally, the wood is good for burning and makes great charcoal.
    Also, previous uses involve a tonic being made from the hornbeam that apparently, relieved exhaustion and tiredness. The leaves used to be used to heal wounds and stop bleeding too.
     
    Hornbeam Conservation and Threats
    In terms of disease, the hornbeam is susceptible to Phytophthora and other fungal diseases. It also suffers from grey squirrel damage as they can strip the bark.
     
    Taking Care of Your Hornbeam Trees
    Generally speaking, hornbeams are low maintenance trees and they don’t need much more than a bit of light pruning. As long as diseased or dead branches are removed regularly and there is adequate airflow, the hornbeam will look after itself. Airflow can be maximised by removing congested shoots. What’s more, pollarding or coppicing hornbeams will help to increase their lifespan and will help the hornbeam to grow taller.
    All pruning that isn’t an emergency should be carried out at the end of summer or the beginning of autumn. This is to avoid sap from bleeding out as this can make the tree susceptible to diseases.
     
    Hornbeam hedges should be pruned to help maintain the hedge’s shape so that it appears tidy and neat. During an average year, hornbeams will have two main periods of growth with one growth spurt occurring in the spring and the second occurring in summer. The hornbeam should be trimmed after each growth period so that it stays tidy. The summer cut should occur in September ensuring that the leaves haven’t yet changed colour or dropped.
    You need to take care when pruning hedges that are deciduous because the leaves can turn brown easily if you are too rough with your trimming. If you are careful, your hedge will stay dense and attractive throughout the winter months.
     
    Caring for a hornbeam tree is pretty simple but look out for coral spot and powdery mildews. Mildew shows as a dusty coating that appears on the stems, leaves and flowers and it is white. Coral spot causes branches to die back and you will see small fungal pustules that are a coral-pink colour. If you do encounter problems, it is best to contact a qualified tree surgeon as they will know how to treat these diseases for the best possible outcome of your tree.
     
     
    ----------------------------------------
     
    Thanks for reading our article. If you would like to read more articles like this they can be found on our blog.
     
    www.graftingardeners.co.uk

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