BellaB

Hi Guys thank you again, this is very helpful, as you range to and fro, asking very pertinent questions. I getting the gist. It may depend on my appetite for risk! We don’t particularly want to take the tree out, but neither do we want the responsibility of its causing damage. We could go for a partial removal and management if that would do the trick, and I think I see you don’t agree that pollarding will stimulate the roots beyond what’s needed to support the needs of the (reduced) canopy. ie not. But management is a future expense or effort, and we are getting into retirement years. There is some benefit to us to remove the tree if safe to do so. so I hope the risk of heave is low because: the site was probably well hydrated when the house was built. That seems the point to hang on to the conservatory was added that first year, to the best of my knowledge the tree was planted around then, or fairly soon after but more recently we laid a patio between the tree and our house, potentially changing the moisture content there. The tree didn’t appear to suffer from that but it can’t be getting the amount of rainfall it used to. My brain hurts now: that soil is now drier than previously, but the footings were built for/on a moister soil originally, so when the soil again rehydrates, we’re still ok? Is that right? And we’ve not had shrinkage issues in the meantime, so that’s ok - have I got that right? In case we decide we do need a piece of paper for the files, Can anyone recommend a sensible soul in west Suffolk please? thank you again, I do appreciate your responses B

Hi Guys, sorry I wasn’t monitoring yesterday, and thought you’d all still be busy high above the ground when I posted on Friday, chainsaw in hand! I'm very grateful for your input, and you seem to be saying to take it down in one, that the idea of stages is old hat, and if roots regrow they won’t grow beyond, what? Didn’t get that bit. But I did suppose they wouldn’t grow beyond what was needed to support the remaining top growth spurt. Since it’s already breaking flag stones I don’t want it making more root, but on the other hand the existing roots will have been supporting a tall tree prior to topping it, so why are more roots needed by the tree if we don’t allow it to regrow? Anyway, the question I meant to ask is, please, how best do I have this taken down (oner or staged) to protect me and the neighbour from heave? She’s nervous because of her patio lifted by roots, so I think we’d better take it right down. We like the tree, but it’s too close We’re on quite heavy clay, It’s quite a weepy birch. Could it be managed into a Blob on a stick?! Sounds terrible, but there is a diagonal side branch that would help it to still provide a bit of canopy. Weeping leafy habit would hide the truncation, at least in the summer, and we could easily reach the top to manage it in future. Depending on the roots not to proliferate, of course. You all talk about pollarding managing the size of a tree, so I’m hoping it would manage the roots too. Would you do that in one go? Thank you Belinda

Hello I’m new here, and thanks in advance I live in WSuffolk, it’s clay, we’re atop a hill, if that’s relevant. 2 story House, walls go down 1m deep, below which is concrete in trench. (We needed soil taken away after an oil spill elsewhere, so I saw this) No sign of subsidence. Previously the whole estate was a pig farm. Maybe the odd shelter here and there, maybe some shelter trees. It wasn’t woodland. It’s been standing about 22 yrs, now surrounded by patio, with a lean-to kit built conservatory, which sits on concrete pads, will be demolished within a year or two, it’s in an appalling state! To be replaced by patio I expect. Patio shields soil somewhat, It’s on a bed of mortar blobs and not well pointed. Some water may get through but not all. Prior to that going in 8 yrs ago it was gravel. Next door has an original patio laid as well, and the birch roots are lifting it nearest the tree. Both houses about 5m distant. So we’ve had a request to do something about the tree. The original owners (probably) planted trees down the boundary,( I’m sure they don’t predate the houses,)and closest to the house is a silver birch, and then a Malus, then a palm, each about 2m apart. The birch is now taller than the house. Trunk about 30cm diameter We topped it about 6-8yrs back and it rewarded us with a spurt of growth, and two trunks instead of one! We've had a tree surgeon look at it, and he advises to take it out in one go. We’ve heard about heave and that worries us, but he dismissed the idea. He actually said taking it down gradually would stimulate the roots to grow more. What do you think of that please? We’ve already cut it back once, as I said. We chose him because he did a balanced and attractive job of thinning a neighbour’s young trees, but I don’t know his training. He said he wasn’t insured to give a guaranteed opinion, and to inquire further, and so I’ve found you in my search. Sorry pic is rotated. Don’t know how to fix that! Can you help please? Many thanks