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A garden tree for shade
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25-05-2012 10:12am#1
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Prune the birch trees in the summer when they are in full growth and this will also keep the tree healthy year after year.Pruning the birch tree in the summer also prevents bleeding of sap and causing the tree severe wounds too (sometimes fatal cuts/wounds).
You have to know what branches to prune and when to prune them (as in alternate years).Also keeping the leaders correctly is also vital to the trees growth,both upwards and outwards too).
It is best to prune Birch in winter, using target pruning. A birch will bleed if pruned in summer.
Took this photo for another thread today.
I pruned these to get a more fanned look but have also pruned so the leaves start at about the height of the beech hedge. I wanted the birch nearer the hedge to branch lower down to give a better contrast to the beech hedge. The small one langished for a few years but is now settleing in.
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Good man keep me on my toes
so it needs further explaination:
Section 4: When to prune
As a general rule pruning should be avoided during the time of leaf/needle production (when the tree draws on its energy reserves) and at the time of leaf/needle fall (when the tree stores energy). Outside these periods most trees can be pruned at any time of the year, with a few exceptions:
Cherry, Plum and related trees (Prunus species) should be pruned soon after flowering to reduce the risk of bacterial infection. Maple, Birth, Beech and Walnut should be pruned in leaf or just after leaf fall and Magnolia in high summer to avoid 'bleeding' (excluding sap), which although not considered damaging, can be unsightly.
So section 4 starts with pruning should be done (generally summer or winter and not spring or autumn), following on from (ie bareing the first paragraph in mind) that should summer pruning be done then for certain trees it is best done at the above mentioned times, its not indicating the best times in the year to prune those trees. The Phenology paper is then very clear about the optimum time to prune.
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Have another read
Outside these periods most trees can be pruned at any time of the year, with a few exceptions:
so outside of winter and summer ie in autumn and spring
most trees can be pruned
except.... the few that should not be pruned in spring and autumn, ie in leaf.
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Have another read
Outside these periods most trees can be pruned at any time of the year, with a few exceptions:
so outside of winter and summer ie in autumn and spring
most trees can be pruned
except.... the few that should not be pruned in spring and autumn, ie in leaf.
But what does it say in section 4 about "Birch"?
I mean you said that you prune "birch" in wintertime.It is best to prune Birch in winter, using target pruning.
Does it say that in section 4?0 -
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Have another read
Outside these periods most trees can be pruned at any time of the year, with a few exceptions:
so outside of winter and summer ie in autumn and spring
most trees can be pruned
except.... the few that should not be pruned in spring and autumn, ie in leaf.
So if the Birch tree is "in leaf" then that doesnt include Summer when there are "leaves" on the tree??
"In Leaf" doesnt include Summer then???
Thanks.:)0 -
You have me there, now I'm totally confused, the hole gets deeper, I'm off to water my baskets.
As long as you are having fun in the garden and the deputy head gardener is doing what she is told then all is right with the world.
The only specific references to birch pruning I can find in my books are (see attached):
"This should only be done after sapflow in spring (i.e. June) or shortly before leaf fall in autumn (i.e. late October), otherwise there is risk of discolouration and rot."
but this is from The Birch Woodland management Handbook august 1999 and the pruning is done for commercial reasons ie the discolouration they refer to in the wood is part of the trees defence system against pathogen ingress.
so no definitive answer there either.
and this isnt helpful either:
RHS: When pruning is required, prune only when fully dormant from late summer to before mid-winter.
in leaf out leaf???
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=717#section20 -
You have me there, now I'm totally confused, the hole gets deeper, I'm off to water my baskets.
As long as you are having fun in the garden and the deputy head gardener is doing what she is told then all is right with the world.
The only specific references to birch pruning I can find in my books are (see attached):
"This should only be done after sapflow in spring (i.e. June) or shortly before leaf fall in autumn (i.e. late October), otherwise there is risk of discolouration and rot."
but this is from The Birch Woodland management Handbook august 1999 and the pruning is done for commercial reasons ie the discolouration they refer to in the wood is part of the trees defence system against pathogen ingress.
so no definitive answer there either.
and this isnt helpful either:
RHS: When pruning is required, prune only when fully dormant from late summer to before mid-winter. in leaf out leaf???
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=717#section2
The "deputy gardener" would be me.:D
Lets just say that my missus is the sheriff,and rather experienced in gardening,absolutely loves her gardening,plants,trees and flowers a hell of alot.;)0 -
Trees have always been traditionally pruned in Winter and this is often for convenience more than anything- litte else to do, no leaves on tree so easier to see its structure.....
My two cents worth.....
In Spring the tree is busy producing new leaves, dont stress it out by pruning.
In Autumn the tree is busy shutting off the supply to its leaves for leaf drop, dont stress it out by pruning.
In Winter the tree is dormant and does not have the means to occlude wounds so..... dont stress it out by pruning.
In Mid-late Summer the tree is not so busy, now is the time to prune.
Exceptions of course, example Apples/ Pears where pruning is carried out at a certain time of year for disease prevention.
Pruning is such a pain in the backside- you have to decide whats best for your particular one.
On one hand you may not want to lose the following years flowers by pruning at the wrong time, so prune after flowering.
On the other hand this may not be the best time re disease prevention. :rolleyes:
Circumstances will prevail, in the case of Birch I woud be inclined to prune in Summer. The tree has the means to occlude the wound, its not 'busy' doing other things and the leaves are there to take up the sap rather than have it bleed.
The Sheriff.:D:D 0 -
howdy kemosaby, I am about to impale myself on this double edges sword!! Hi ho silver away....
A tree works under negative pressure so when pruned in summer it will suck in some air at that initial point (then bleed if a bleeder) and as the pathogen spores are all around in the air they are sucked in too, so making it easier for them to get into the tree and get busy. (Aparently there are more pathogens in the air in autumn)
There may be a point here that by bleeding the birch prevents some of the pathogens getting in as against other trees. Pine does somthing similar with its sticky sap.
But how to quantify any benefits over less pathogens in the air in winter vs more in summer and open wound for longer in winter vs quicker occlusion in summer I dont know and havent seen any papers on.
As a rule I always prune my shrubs after flowering.0 -
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