Roots Tree Surgeon Services
Tree Surgeon Stroud, Cheltenham, Cirencester
Roots Tree Surgeon. Professional Tree Services. Tree Care, Tree Removal And Hedge Trimming In And Around Stroud, Stonehouse, Cirencester, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Nailsworth, Painswick And The Wider Gloucestershire And Cotswolds Area.
When Is The Best Time To Prune My Tree?
People often ask me, what is the best time of year to prune my tree? In fact the timing of pruning is usually less important than the amount of pruning. A badly or over pruned tree will suffer no matter when it is pruned.However, there are times when it is best to avoid pruning older or stressed trees.
Contrary to popular belief trees do not need pruning. Pruning a tree causes wounds which the tree has to compartmentalize (trees do not heal in the way that animals or humans do) this uses up carbohydrates. The tree also looses energy stored in the removed wood and leaves. However, it is often necessary for us to prune trees to keep them safe and of appropriate size for the environment which we share with them.
It is generally accepted by tree surgeons that when pruning a tree you should remove no more than 30% of the canopy and generally much less. It is also important to ensure pruning wounds are as small as possible. Large or poor quality pruning cuts can allow heart decay fungi to enter the tree. If these basic rules are followed and no large wounds are made then it is normally possible to prune a healthy, young tree at any time of year.
When considering pruning old, veteran or stressed trees it is worth taking into account where the tree is in its annual cycle. Trees rely on stores of carbohydrates to compartmentalize wounds of any size. At certain times of the year these stores can become very depleted particularly just after bud burst and also after the leaves have dropped. After the buds have burst a tree will put most of its energy into enlarging its leaves to ensure maximum photosynthesis but also into hardening its leaves to prevent parasite attack. This means that its energy reserves will be low and therefore until these reserves are built up again it is inadvisable to carry out major pruning work. Generally by mid summer most deciduous trees will be able to cope with pruning. The same applies in the autumn when the leaves drop. At this time the tree will be busy recovering from all the tiny wounds created where the leaves detach.
So if you are considering having pruning work done on your tree the most important thing to take into account is the ammount of pruning. If you are considering a hard prune or your tree is old or stressed then it is best to avoid the early summer when the leaves are immature or the autumn when the leaves have dropped.
Why Topping Damages Trees
Topping is the indiscriminate cutting back or removal of the tops or branches of trees, often leaving stubs and flush cuts which look unsightly or can invite infection. Topping is normally done because the owner has decided that the tree has become too large for it`s space but does not want the removal of the whole tree.
Most conscientious tree surgeons will refuse to top any deciduous trees. In some cases it may be acceptable to top certain species of conifers or hedge trees.
Topping can many cause many problems for a trees. Topping wounds expose the heart wood. The heart wood is the "non living" centre of the tree which acts as a skeleton to the tree. Because the wood is non living it lacks the defense mechanisms the live wood has. Consequentially the tree is exposed to infection from the many heart decay fungi. Often the remaining stub will die back after topping.
Topping also removes the apical buds on the tops and branch tips of the tree. Removal of apical buds cause the tree to produce a large quantity of new growth known as epicormic shoots or water shoots. Epicormic shoots are poorly attached to the stem and can split out more easily, they also grow very quickly.
Topping therefore results in a tree which firstly looks ugly and secondly is covered in a mass of badly attached shoots and often has large decay cavities. Trees that have been topped in the past often become dangerous or die completely. It can take many decades to carefully prune a tree back into a reasonable condition once it has been topped.
There are alternatives to topping. Sometimes tree removal and replanting may be the best option. Often a careful combination of other tree surgery techniques such as crown reduction, thinning or raising can arrive at a satisfactory result.
For a free consultation please contact us.
Encouraging wildlife into your garden
With recent fashions for manicured landscaped gardens incorporating decking, gravel and other such materials the amount of available habitat for wildlife in towns, cities and even in rural areas is rapidly diminishing. It is therefore more important than ever that those who are interested and care about wildlife take steps to increase habitat in their gardens. Not everyone has loads of space. My garden is currently about 3.5 by 3.5 metres; however, even in such a small space there are plenty of things that can be done to encourage garden visitors. The following are just some ideas to get your garden teeming with life.
Water
A small pond or pool will provide water to drink and a home for amphibious creatures. Small moulded ponds are easily available.
Deadwood
Dead wood makes excellent habitat. Deadwood on the ground is good, standing dead wood is even better. In my garden I have a few logs hidden under plants and shrubs which are just left to rot, as they do so they become home to all manner of insects which in turn are food to birds and other insects.
Standing dead wood should be left as long as is possible and safe. If a tree is dead or dying then leave some or all of it to rot away as a stump or monolith (a large stump). A flowering climber can turn an old tree into an attractive feature. Don`t over manicure trees, leave some dead wood on, it will do the tree no harm.
Make a compost heap
Compost heaps make excellent places for all kinds of wildlife. The heat generated by decomposing vegetable matter creates a warm place to live. Spreading compost on your garden enriches the soil and enriched soil is home to many worms and other creatures. Also, your plants will grow better so it a win win situation. Just make sure you leave meat and fish out or you will attract vermin.
Flowers, nectar and seeds or berries
Choose species that are useful to wildlife for much of the year. Hawthorn, for example, produces much needed early nectar with its profusion of white flowers in the spring followed by bright berries for birds in the later summer.
Make a wild corner
The easiest thing of all is a wild corner. All you need to do is leave it alone. It doesn`t have to be very big. An undisturbed corner can be home to all manner of small mammals, insects and birds.
Bee Home
Creating garden habitat for bees in especially important. Bees are declining at an alarming rate. We can all do something to help. The following are links to useful sites:
http://www.insectpix.net/Homes_for_bees.htm
http://www.insectpix.net/Food_for_Bees.htm
Bird Box
Bird boxes can easily be attached to a wall, tree or post. There are different types and sizes of box available depending which types of bird you wish to attract.
Bird Table
Feed the birds. There are many different types of bird feeders suited to different species. Make sure you buy special bird food and store it properly as poor quality bird food can cause problems for our feathered friends.
Plant Native
Planting native species will encourage native wildlife. Be it trees, shrubs, perennials or annuals, a native is always better for the wildlife.
Excellent Wildlife Plants
These are just a few suggestions, there are many more.
Trees
Goat Willow
Blackthorn
Hawthorne
Flowering cherries
Plum
Pear
Apple
Shrubs
Lilac
Buddleia
Pyracantha
Lavender
Heather
Small flowering plants
Primrose
Foxgloves
Poppies
Cowslips
Purple Toadflax
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/gardenwildlife/toptips.shtml
