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| when to cut down https://www.weetrees.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16923 |
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| Author: | oakwell [ 13 Sep 2017, 18:00 ] |
| Post subject: | when to cut down |
Got a couple of trees I need to cut down to a bonsai size. just wondered when would be a good time to chop them down. |
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| Author: | Sizzla [ 13 Sep 2017, 18:11 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
Normally spring time I think but it would help to know what species? |
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| Author: | oakwell [ 13 Sep 2017, 18:16 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
one is a lilac and another a hornbeam, both 5ft to 6ft |
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| Author: | stymie [ 13 Sep 2017, 18:33 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
I suggest any time during the dormant season before any new growth starts. |
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| Author: | oakwell [ 13 Sep 2017, 18:36 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
yeah I was thinking to chop it down then and see if I get any new growth to try and shape it, am worried about if any new shoots will grow from the lower thicker parts as the bark is quite thick. should I rub off any flaky bark? |
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| Author: | Gary Jones [ 13 Sep 2017, 19:01 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
Yep the dormant period and before buds extend in spring. All the stored resources will be in the woody vascular system waiting for spring. Up to fall the tree will be storing resources - in spring it'll use them to push out new growth. Chopping before the buds extend will maximise energy into the growth from the reduced stumps. |
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| Author: | oakwell [ 13 Sep 2017, 21:01 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
so once leafs drop off? |
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| Author: | Gary Jones [ 13 Sep 2017, 23:28 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
That would be the earliest but I'd leave it until it warms up a little in February. It won't give you any benefit to do it earlier and it's marginally safer to leave it until very early spring. |
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| Author: | Bill [ 14 Sep 2017, 15:15 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
i much prefer pruning after leaf drop; pruning the other side of winter has often resulted in trees leafing out late for me. the early pruning gives the tree all of winter to slowly set new buds. if you wait until the other side, you will probably be cutting off the best buds and wasting that energy; the tree then has to wake up dormant buds or maybe even make adventitious buds, both of which take time. that said, with some species its generally accepted that late winter/early spring is the best time. i don't grow either species so i would wait and gather more opinions from more experienced hornbeam growers. dont think you'll get much info on lilac here tbh...? |
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| Author: | Gary Jones [ 14 Sep 2017, 16:13 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: when to cut down |
you may be right - but as you say others have often advised to leave it later, as early chopping means that as the tree is inactive over winter it can't recover so easily leading to possible die back. I've certainly heard this for birch in particular. Without a trial it's hard to tell which is necessarily the better route for each species or grower |
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