Ash, London Plane, Lime, Elm, Oak and Tulip are just some of the species suitable for tree pollarding in your garden. A good regime of annual pollarding and pruning will restrict the height of your plants and trees and keep that balance of light and space just right.

But, there are a few things worth considering before any cutting takes place, this is because every year too many gardens and good trees get ruined by cowboy traders.

Unqualified and unsolicited traders tend to be more concerned with short term profit than the health of your garden. Property values can be affected by poor tree work too.

So, our advice at Ashley Tree Services is to consider carefully these do’s and don’ts of tree pollarding:

  • Do get pollarding advice from a reputable tree surgeon or arborist about the right time to act. Your tree may be too young or may require more extensive tree surgery.
  • Do pollard if you’re worried about your trees and shrubs growing bigger than the place you’ve allocated for them.  A garden is all about balancing the competition for space.
  • Do pollard if you’re beginning to notice too much shade and not enough sun in your garden or on your property. A garden is all about balancing competition for light.
  • Do pollard if utilities (electricity lines, phone cables, street lighting etc) may be affected by growth. Note: professional tree surgeon advice and help here is an absolute must.
  • Do maintain your tree pollarding through an annual cycle of cutting. A tree that is left to grow unchecked in a restricted space can be more costly and problematic to pollard than a regularly maintained tree.
  • Don’t commission any pollarding for the autumn. Pruning cuts can make it very easy for decay fungi (including bracket fungi) to begin to grow on your tree. These fungi species can lead to rot and decay in the heartwood of your tree. This can lead to structural failure – something you as the landowner will be legally responsible for.
  • Don’t attempt any pollarding yourself if it involves; working at height, climbing, using ladders and working with a chainsaw. However tempting it is – if you’re unqualified do not take the risk.

Enjoy your garden safely, enjoy the light and enjoy the space. Contact us at Ashley Tree Services if you think we can help.