tomsrmc

Great, thanks very much everybody. Stay safe!

Thanks for the tips! It is a relatively new build, so will make sure they're well watered as you advise. As the top branches are already quite high (with no clear leader on most).. Would it be best to trim these down or try to gradually train them sideways? I've read that once they've reached their final height it's OK to trim outside of winter months.. would you agree?

Hi all, I've moved into a new house with some small trees in the back garden. I'm completely clueless so would like to ask for some basic advice. They're growing around supports, so I wonder if they were meant to be pleached together? Or are they too separate for this? I assume the aim was to provide privacy from the numerous neighbours. Could you please identify them from these photos? Maybe Hornbeams? This seems like an overly forceful way of guiding branches.. Is it bad practice to twist them in any direction like this? How would they be maintained from here? Would it be a good idea to have the tops cut off just above the height of the support, and would this encourage sideways growth? Is it possible to prevent the main trunks from becoming too much bigger in future years? I assume these things would get pretty enormous if left unchecked. Many thanks! Tom