Tree Pollarding
We are tree surgeons and arborists that provide a range of services including tree surgery and felling, stump removal and grinding, milling, dismantling, crown reduction, and lifting.
Have you ever seen trees pollarded? You may have been wondering what pollarding is and why it would be necessary for your tree. Tree pollarding is the practice of selectively removing branches from a tree to maintain or achieve an aesthetic shape, and can also help prevent overgrowth that could result in damage to the trunk. Pollarding can be done by professionals or by homeowners themselves (although this should only be attempted if you’re confident in your skills). This article will cover what pollards are, when they are needed, how we do professional pollarding, and if homeowners can do it themselves too.
Benefits of Tree Pollarding
Tree pollarding is necessary for trees that have grown too tall and/or become overgrown with leaves. This may happen when the tree’s original shape has changed, or if branches are dying from disease or other causes. Pollards need to be done periodically so as not to harm the tree itself – a pollarded tree will grow much faster than one without pollards because it can concentrate all of its energy into fewer branches instead of spreading out energy across many more branches in an attempt to keep up with growth requirements.
Tools We Use For Tree Pollarding
We usually use shears, loppers, and chainsaws when doing professional pollarding on trees (although sometimes just hand pruning works well). When performing pollarding on your own, a pruning saw and loppers are usually the most useful tools to have.
This is a breakdown of the tools we use and their uses:
Secateurs
We use these for most pollarding tasks as they are smaller and more lightweight than chainsaws. They’re also easier to wield in tight spaces, like around other plants or utility lines.
Loppers
These shears have a long blade that is useful for pollarding branches at the top of the tree (above eye level). The blades can be quite large, so there’s plenty of cutting surface area, which makes them great tools for big jobs where you need to make multiple cuts quickly.
Chainsaw
We use this when we want fast clean-up work done on trees with lots of low-hanging branches or if hand pollarding doesn’t produce results because it’s slower and less precise. It has two handles that provide stability while operating; one for the chain and one for the bar, which is where you put your foot.
Pruning saw
This is our go-to for pollarding because it has a long blade that allows you to make clean cuts with ease. The blades are also sharp and can cut through the tree quickly, making this tool perfect for pollarding trees.
Shears
These are a good pollarding tool for people who need to pollard often or can’t afford a chainsaw. They’re lightweight and easy to carry around.
Hands
The most basic pollarding tool is your hands, but it’s not advisable if you don’t have tree-cutting experience because there could be a risk of injury from an unexpected branch snapping.
Long-reach pruner
This pollarding tool is perfect for pollarding trees that are close to the ground (less than six feet high). It’s also great if you have a tree that has outgrown your reach.
Pole saw
This is a pollard-specific chainsaw with an extended pole. The blade on this pollarding tool can be cut at different lengths and angles, making it easy to get into tight spots or around branches without being in danger of injury.
The Procedure We Use for Tree Pollarding
We start by trimming back the branches of each pollard to about a six-inch diameter.
Next, we remove any broken or diseased parts of the tree and cut off those that are more than 12 inches in length. We finish up our pollarding procedure with a paintbrush treatment consisting of lime sulfur diluted at 50% strength to prevent disease infection and insect infestation. Finally, we topcoat it all with an application of horticultural oil for the prevention of drying out over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the questions our clients may ask.
Can I pollard my own trees?
Yes! Tree pollarding is an easy DIY project when you have the right tools on hand: a long-reach pruner (or loppers), a pole saw, a canvas tarp, a pollarding saw, a tree pruning paintbrush, and a pollarding pole.
Why is pollarding used today?
This technique was originally developed to allow trees to be coppiced (cut back severely, so as not to kill the tree) and continue producing wood for fuel. Pollarding became popular again when it was found that a pollarded tree could produce more lumber than an un-pollarded tree in any given year because pollard branches grow thicker with age. This means that you will get better yields from your pollards over time, rather than getting lower quality timber off of regularly pruned branches each season.
We use this technique on large fruit trees like apples or pears, where we are looking at 20 years plus of production before these varieties would normally need replacing due to old age alone without pollarding.
Can pollarding kill a tree?
There have been instances of pollarding gone wrong and leading to the death of a tree. This is caused when pollarded branches are too close together, which can create additional stress on individual limbs that are already under duress from the weight above them. In these cases, they will eventually break or snap off under their own weight and cause more damage than was originally intended by pollarding. To avoid this, it’s important to make sure you’re using professional pollard service providers who know how far apart your pollards should be for the tree not to die prematurely. “
What is the difference between pollarding and coppicing?
Coppicing involves removing most or all of a tree’s trunk so that it can grow back multiple times. This is very useful for a tree that provides foliage or fruit in the wintertime when other pollarded trees are bare and provide no protection against cold temperatures.
Coppicing also allows more light to reach ground level, which makes it an excellent way of managing pollards near homes or walkways. “