Hi,
I've got a rowan tree in the front garden and it is badly in need of pruning to reduce size as it is encroaching on my next door neighbour's
property and I expect the root ball will be getting too close to our house. It's also starting to block the light from our living room window.
So, I've read up a bit on this and apparently they are hardy trees and difficult to 'kill' but I'd like some specific advice if
anyone out there has green fingers. I'm particularly keen because a combination of radical pruning and last winter's severe weather killed
off a supposedly indestructible eucalyptus tree in our back garden. Probably just as well though as it would not have survived the recent storms I
don't think and was tall enough that it could have hit our house if it fell.
Anyway, here's a pic of the rowan tree. Any tips on how best to go about reducing the size without killing it or leaving it looking ridiculous
would be appreciated. I want to reduce the canopy to around 50-70% of the current diameter if possible.
Many thanks,
Craig.
Maybe not what you want , but i would think about cutting it down and say planting a small ever green tree/ bush colour all year round , before the
roots start to do damage to your house
the only fingers i have are oily fingers
jacko
quote:
Originally posted by jacko
Maybe not what you want , but i would think about cutting it down and say planting a small ever green tree/ bush colour all year round , before the roots start to do damage to your house
the only fingers i have are oily fingers![]()
jacko
I would think it would be pretty difficult to reduce the canopy of a tree like that without it looking odd. You could cut it off at about 3-4 feet and put a sundial on it or even a nice bird table, that would keep it tidy and decorative.
Do not flat top it. People will just think you have had the gypos around.
Best practice is to remove any dead and crossing branches first. Stand back and look at it. You want to make it look more of a wine glass shape. Try
and cut any braches at a Y where the transition in diameters is not too noticeable. Nothing worse than seeing a 3" branch cut back to a .5"
side branch. Leave as many twiggy branches as possible, this will slow down the growth in its height.
Remove the basal shoots too.
HTH
Hall
It is at a stage where it would still be easy to take the whole tree out , two or three years down the line it will be a major job to remove.
Cut as near the surface as possible if you find any roots near the surface chop through them.
For a replacement look to a suitable Cherry loads to choose from many varieties of Japanese Cherry, or the shaped Flagpole Cherry, Weeping
Cherry and Wine Glass Cherry. You could also put in a suitable self-fertile fruiting cherry such as the Marello.
You alternatively plant a an apple tree on suitable dwarfing root stock but they need looking after ie pruning and spraying, a Plum tree
would do well but plums tend to a very untidy after a few years.
If it were me, that 'thing' would be reduced to nothingness. I'd then shutter up the grassy bit and apply several inches of
concrete.
Funnily enough, I've just had the tree surgeons do one helluva job at the house. Many enormous (making yours look like a minature) firs, beeches
and others removed. They were interfering with the driveway, power lines, everything.
Whatever you do, don't wait until the thing gets *huge*
im an arborist, i would suggest a 30% crown reduction and a crown thin, this will reduce the canopy but this will need to be carried out every couple
of years. if carried out properly this can done without any harm to the tree. As said above maybe think about a smaller tree. Rowan although a
relativily small tree at 10-15 m high, it has a wide crown, if you go for a smaller species such as Betula pendula youngii (under 10m) this might be
better suited
HTH
Ed
quote:
Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
If it were me, that 'thing' would be reduced to nothingness. I'd then shutter up the grassy bit and apply several inches of concrete.
Funnily enough, I've just had the tree surgeons do one helluva job at the house. Many enormous (making yours look like a minature) firs, beeches and others removed. They were interfering with the driveway, power lines, everything.
Whatever you do, don't wait until the thing gets *huge*
quote:
Originally posted by catman
im an arborist, i would suggest a 30% crown reduction and a crown thin, this will reduce the canopy but this will need to be carried out every couple of years. if carried out properly this can done without any harm to the tree. As said above maybe think about a smaller tree. Rowan although a relativily small tree at 10-15 m high, it has a wide crown, if you go for a smaller species such as Betula pendula youngii (under 10m) this might be better suited
HTH
Ed
a third crown reduction is......... i will try to explain. reduce the crowns height and width by 30%, keeping the same natural shape. for a tree that
size you might be taking 2m of the top and 1m of all the sides ie. 2m less overall width, you then shape the crown so it looks natural. you would be
better off using secaturs and a folding saw, make sure you cut just above a bud or branch union. the crown thin is removing the three D's dead
diseased and dying, anything that looks unhealthy normally is. dont remove any branch over 10cm unless you have to (probably not relavant in this
case)
HTH
Ed
Hi guys,
Well I had a go at my Rowan tree today and am pretty happy with the results. I didn't go overboard with the pruning but I can do some more next
year if necessary. I just hope I haven't killed it!
Thanks for all advice offered, I'll let you know how it goes...
Craig.