Got a Hazel tree at the end of my garden that has got a bit lanky at 20ft. It's in good health and is currently loaded with nuts, but I'd like to take it down to about 10ft and encourage it grow shorter and wider.

So....what time of year is best to pollard it back and any tips on how to approach it?

once the leaves start to fall off for the winter, or before the sap starts to run in the spring.

trim any branches that point in towards the center or cross over other ( larger) branches.

this should encourage the tree to grow outwards.

[Edited on 18/9/07 by violentblue]

Being a bit of a tree numpty this is more of a question rather than a suggestion....

Would you be better off coppicing hazel?

Reason for asking is that this is how I have treated Hazel the few times i have done volunteer work for the National Trust although I apreciate that woodland management is a bit different to gardening

quote:

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Originally posted by Duncan_P
Being a bit of a tree numpty this is more of a question rather than a suggestion....

Would you be better off coppicing hazel?

Reason for asking is that this is how I have treated Hazel the few times i have done volunteer work for the National Trust although I apreciate that woodland management is a bit different to gardening

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If I remember correctly, coppicing is where the tree is cut down to ground level, so that multiple stems grow up later on. Used to grow slim willow branches for fences, charcoal production, etc.

Pollarding is where everything is cut off at a certain height, to encourage new branches at that level. Often done on town street trees to minimise their spread.

Your original suggestion sounded like you wanted to do pollarding...

My understanting is pollarding is cutting a tree a about 7 to 10 foot and removing all branches, it is an argicultural practice -- use where trees grow on boudaries to prevent the tree shading the field or pasture but allow it still provide some shelter.

I think the hazel tree in question just needs a major prune, best to wait an few weeks yet, or you could leave to early spring. try and make any major cuts at an angle so water runs off.
If you value the tree you could paint the open cuts with a prunning compound usually sold for fruit trees but this is just an option hazels are less prone to disease than the Prunis family ( eg Apples, Cherry, Pear, Peach........)

I

Just had a quick Google on pollarding hazel trees - it seems that the most commonly pollarded trees are willow and hazel, and have been for 500 years.

In fact, it seems that a hazel tree can often benefit from a severe haircut, so much so that there are some hazels in the New Forest well over 500 years old that wouldn't have lived that long naturally.

Well whatever the correct technical term it's going to get a serious haircut later in the year