What Is Tree Pollarding And Can It Help
Introduction: What is Tree Pollarding?
Tree pollarding is the process of removing most of the branches from a tree, taking the cuts right back to a main knuckle or the trunk of a tree. Normally a service we perform on younger trees over mature trees, the process is usually carried out every year or two to ensure the tree doesn’t outgrow its surroundings. Ideally, tree pollarding should be done in late winter to early spring, but really it can be done all summer. We avoid pollarding in the autumn as there’s a higher chance of decay and rot getting into the cuts as the trees have stopped growing and the weather is damp and cold.
The leaves and branches of the tree are removed to keep the tree smaller than it would usually grow. We also get asked to pollard trees in Glasgow because they cause a nuisance or may cause damage to properties. Pollarding is a useful approach if you have a row of trees which you need to keep at a particular height. We recently carried out a job in Giffnock, pollarding a row of lime trees along a roadside, maintaining a consistent size on all trees.
This process has been around for centuries, and is still popular in Europe with its origins in Ancient Greece and Rome, but it became popular again in England during World War Two when people needed wood for fuel. Back in medieval times people would pollard to ensure a regular supply of firewood, basket weaving material, and animal fodder through the proper pruning of branches on trees and shrubs.
However, nowadays, pollarding concentrates on plant health and garden aesthetics. As we’ve mentioned pollarding is the technique use to keep trees and shrubs smaller than they would typically grow.
This blog will be your guide to deepen your knowledge about pollarding and help you decide on your garden and tree maintenance.
We hope that using our brief pollarding guide, you will be able to make informed decisions about your trees and garden care and help you choose the appropriate tree service we provide.
Benefits of tree pollarding
You might be having doubts about whether to have your tree pollarded or not; here's a list of what tree pollarding does:
Revitalise particular trees and shrubs
Pollarding offers the benefit of removing any rotting or diseased branches, dead branches that could eventually become a hazard to the property. Thus, It allows the tree's life force to flow into the viable parts of the tree by thinning out spindly branches or large branches with little strength.
Promote healthy plant growth beneath the tree
While unpollarded trees and shrubs may give you shade during summer, they may not promote growth. Thinning and pollarding of trees allows fresh air to circulate and sunlight to reach the ground. As a result, plants grow faster, and the garden looks more spacious.
Increase foliage coverage at lower levels
Pollarding keeps new growth at a lower level. Landscape architects understand the importance of height in gardening. This can drastically change the outcome of your space.
Add garden space
Uncontrolled tree growth may result in reduced garden space which affects the enjoyment and value of your garden.
Adjust tree's balance
High winds can pose a hazard to trees with heavy tops, so pollarding is recommended. Taking steps to protect tree canopy from wind and weather can significantly reduce the chances of trees failing or lopping over your neighbour's fence.
Protect your trees and shrubs from third-party services
Electricity lines, phone cables, street lightings, and such may affect and infer your tree's growth, and pollarding would be the best option to protect your trees from these third-party services.
What are the best trees to pollard? Should I pollard my tree?
Here is the list of the best trees to pollard:
Common limes
Elms
Willows
Planes
Mulbery
Acer Tree
If your desired tree is not on the list, you can always contact the Glasgow Tree Surgeon for advice regarding the tree's suitability and the perfect season to pollard it.
A tree haircut?
Before finishing this up, here's a fun fact about the word pollard. It is derived from the word "poll", which means top or crown of your head. 'To poll' means to cut your hair.
Almost all trees regardless of the tree species need a haircut, so if you want to have it done, you can get in touch with The Glasgow Tree Surgeon. We serve around Glasgow, Paisley, Renfrew and beyond. With our expertise and over 12 years of experience, we guarantee you service satisfaction.
Our Pollarding Service
Here at The Glasgow Tree Surgeon we cut back certain trees in this way to stop them shading other vegetation or to downsize them because their size has, or will become a hazard if they are not reduced. We can help advise you about which trees you can cut back using this tree pruning technique and we will always advise if we feel a tree you have selected is not suited to this type of surgery.
Whatever your reasons for pollarding it can be a great system to prolong a trees life and spark new fresh growth into your Glasgow garden.
About The Glasgow Tree Surgeon - Arborist Glasgow
The Glasgow Tree Surgeon is an arboricultural company with over 12 years of experience in the professional tree care industry. We pride ourselves on high quality, professional services from a friendly team of experienced staff focused on efficiency, good tree care standards and health & safety. Our goal is to get your job done with the use of safe, efficient and affordable tree care.
We are an innovative company using a network of experienced and accredited tree surgeons to ensure we deliver expert service no matter how big or small the project.
At The Glasgow Tree Surgeon we provide a full consultancy service available from contact to completion, providing various options to meet the specific needs of our clients. We offer comprehensive method statements, site-specific risk assessment, complying with relevant legislation and regulations specific to our industry.
Fully Insured
We are fully insured, up to £5 Million for public liability. All insurance and training certificates can be provided if required. If you are looking for quotes from a range of tree surgeons, we would strongly advise that you ensure they are fully insured. Using uninsured arborists can result in huge costs should something go wrong. Don't take the risk, ensure that you only work with fully insured tree surgeons, such as The Glasgow Tree Surgeon.
We only use well-equipped vehicles and modern plant equipment for safety and efficiency in every job meeting current PUWER and LOLER regulations.
We look forward to hearing from you and discussing your requirements, at The Glasgow Tree Surgeon we offer a range of affordable options to ensure that you get the best value on the market and always work within your budget.
Contact us for a Free Pollarding Quotation and to discuss a range of affordable options to ensure that you get the best value on the market and always work within your budget.