ABtrees

ok here's one that caught my eye in the leaf litter - it matches my saw, my boots, my gloves etc etc.

Thanks for that David. You're right about the lack of light and the fact they're Hornbeams - got to be one of my favourite trees ! I have lots of them and maybe 20 - 30 are these old (neglected) pollards. In days gone by they grew /used them to provide the 'teeth' for the gear in a water mill mechanism presumably on the basis that the wood is so hard wearing (but in the event of a jam would shear unlike metal to metal). The lack of light has caused them to go long and straggly (as have their neighbours) so the haloing could be interesting! As for the multiple phased bit, do you mean take a length off each pole, leave a couple of years and repeat rather than cut one pole right back (say to within a couple of meters) let that recover and then do the next pole etc. If the former, how much should I look to reduce by, on the first reduction - is the starch issue based on the age (i.e. diameter of the pole) or is it distance from the foliage ??? They seem fairly hardy trees - my bonkers farmer neighbour cut a 18 - 20 m tree down to 3m (diameter 50cm) about 3 years ago - its now flourishing !

I guess the same applies to these .... because they look (to my untrained eye) like the could have / should have fallen over by now ! Struggled to get the exposure - right backlit trees on a sunny day hence crappy pics - oops. Pic 4 is close up of 3. They are obviously old pollards and I guess my question is: would it be better to take some of that weight off (i.e. reduce them back to the pollard - not too close) or is that likely to do more harm than good ? I'm guessing the first one has had its centre rotted out as a result of the (original) previous pollarding ??? Thoughts and advice gratefully recd.

Think I'll dump my slr and get one of them then ! You either have a very steady hand or just lucky ! I'm sure (though could be mistaken) that I can see individual spores in between the gills in that 2nd photo ? P.S. Got a couple more pics to post in the 'biometrics' thread later on.

Hi David That second shot is spectacular - what camera / lens have you got - presuming that was macro? Below is a new pic of the 'black one' and unless you tell me otherwise it does appear coincident and unrelated. There are also some (3) close ups of the logs. BTW what was the one in photos 1 and 2 earlier - like a slightly over-toasted burger ! I also attach a couple of new ones from this mornings walk ! Pretty sure the whitish one isn't the same as the Bjerkendera (but realise I know nothing !) and then the last one which I suspect may not be a fungi at all.

Not sure how this is still standing. Here's a couple of pics of what appears on one side to be a pretty ordinary oak. Once you get round the other side however it's pretty much hollow ! I reckon its a lightning strike that set fire to the inside of the tree (last pic). The tree itself is around 1.3m DBH (I stood inside it for that last pic) and circa 18-20m tall. The bit that I don't get is the weight/c of g is all wrong -heavy limbs all over the one (good side). The forces at play must be huge. I'm also not sure why the dead bit (on the bad side) looks as though it has compressed to crack in the middle (maybe under its own weight?). When it goes it'll be big and fast - I've been waiting 12 years so far !

Here's a couple of new ones I found today. I've no doubt they're all pretty common - at least round here ! On the yellow jelly one both the top and bottom jelly seem to have a black growth on the other side of the tree - is this just another part of the same fungi or a different one all together ?

"OK great - so that's THE parsnip - guess that just leaves THE swede and a couple of Brussel sprouts before I get my bone back !

Ok How about a caption competition for the dog's thoughts ? I'll try to kick it off with "Don't like parsnips" or "You told me I wasn't allowed to dig that up"

You see that's why I joined this site - I really have no idea what you guys are talking about - but you get me thinking ! Before I read your post Khriss I would never have even considered that the fungi may have taken because the tree was actually in the ditch and therefore been instrumental in its failure. In my ignorance I assumed tree got blown over fungi invaded as a result of it being waterlogged for a number of years etc etc. And David IF I understand it correctly this is just a remnant from the visible fungus that would have been present whilst the tree was standing ? Back into the woods next weekend then to find some 'chicken' - right time of year ??? Thanks both.

Morning just going through a few old photos and came across this one of a large fruiting body I found - thought it might be of interest (?). I was given the trunk of a big old oak that had fallen over about 10 yrs previously and been laying in a ditch ever since. It was wet through so decided to split it let it dry. On the second split I found this - sorry there is no scale reference in the picture but the ring was about 1.2 m and the corner of the splitter (bottom right in 1st photo) is about 10-12 cm. In my (total) ignorance, just wrote it off as being a bit of dry/wet rot, but it was the fact it was right in the centre of the tree and the structure of it that prompted me to take the photo.

Great - anyone on here got far too much time on their hands and able to shift a couple of thousand spoons ?

I agree Mick but that's why I was hoping to keep the old one upright a bit longer ! This Lombardy fell over week before last - the picture makes it obvious why. Apart from another footbridge across the river can anyone suggest anything it is useful for, apart from 'habitat' - I have enough of that locally at the moment ! I read it's not even much good as firewood?

A couple of pics my wife took of my fish being stolen a couple of years ago !

Thank you David - I doubt I would have ever come up with that ! The location perhaps is key I split my time between France and London. Most of my arb issues are French ! I'm not sure on any of the legalities of doing so, but I'm back in London on Monday if you would like it (and it is legal to do so) I can bring it over, still attached, for you ??? At the moment I just left it where I found it (about 15 feet from where I'm currently sat - odd I hadn't noticed it before!). BTW there are lots more (of those and others).

I found these today on some old dead laurel trunks - sure you guys will tell me exactly what it is and its very common but I haven't a clue when it comes to fungi (in fact many things !).

Thanks for your response Jules. I have tried to attach (first time I've tried this) a few pics showing said tree. The first shows the two remaining ivy trunks. The second shows the 'fungus' patch (and a bit of burr) and the last one shows both the scale of the problem and the fact that as it is on the edge of my field (part of a really old tree line that I would like to keep) if it does fail it won't affect (hit) anyone or thing apart from other trees maybe !

OK so my next question is, if we take it that ivy is generally bad for the trees health - using resources, strangling the tree and increasing 'sail area' (especially today !) - is there a point at which particularly with old trees where it can have a beneficial effect in terms of structural support. I have a 60/70 ft Black Poplar (I think) which is covered in ivy and clearly not well - it shed a limb or two over the last 5 yrs and is diseased (a white area of mould/ fungus). It also has a lot of ivy fed by numerous trunks, the thickest of which are (2 at) about 8in in diameter - I only discovered them once I started clearing it (chopping an ivy free belt around the tree). So my question is should I leave it or should I chop it through ? I'll have a go at uploading a picture later if I get the chance - windblown allowing - stay safe.

Hello all - I'm new to the site (though I've been reading anon for months!) - finally signed up as I have loads of questions and loads to learn ! Thought I would share my experience on this subject from last year. I had a large amount of Ivy to clear and (without my trailer) decided to move it in the back of the Landy. Big mistake - I ended up with a fairly extreme case of English IVY poisoning - started by coughing, then a sore throat. The following morning I had lost my voice and couldn't swallow - v. painful - didn't eat for 3 days. Did a bit of research and 'allegedly' Ivy gives off chemicals (Falcarinol) when cut (not recommended for confined spaces or hot days - it was). I wondered, has anyone else had such an extreme response ? I have another question on Ivy which I will post separately.