gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: gardenwriters-on-gardening
List archive
- From: "eczekalski" <eczekalski@gaias-gift.com>
- To: "'gardenwriters-on-gardening'" <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: RE: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping
- Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 15:16:14 -0500
As you and others have said, pollarding starts when the trees are young and is an annual event. From what I’ve read, if you don’t keep it up, the trees may develop the same kinds of weak branches that are a danger associated with topping. In France, they also seem to do this to particular kinds of trees, like plane trees. And, this is just my observation and speculation, many of the plane trees that are pollarded in old parks or town squares are grown very closely for such large trees and in locations where the roots, at least any that grow near the surface, would be severely restricted by concrete or buildings. I’ve wondered if that helps the tree keep in balance. It would definitely help keep large limbs from damaging anything in high winds. There aren’t any large limbs.
However, I really have to wonder about what they did to one of my favorite old trees in Paris. Behind the Notre Dame Cathedral, hanging over the edge of the island which is encircled in concrete, he is an ancient tree with a sign that says “Saule Pleure” (willow weeping). A heavy iron fence divides his small piece of soil between the concrete edge and the roadway that leads to Pont de l’Archeveche or Ile St. Louis. Before my French included the word for “willow” my imagination took over and I saw in him this ancient gnarled character named Saul, publicly imprisoned, prostrate and weeping over centuries of our fates. I love to walk around the Cathedral at night and end my walk there, where Saul whispers of kings and queens, the gains and losses of wars and of thousands of lovers visiting Paris in April rains. Sigh…
A visit a couple of years ago and the Paris park maintenance people were topping him! I have pictures of fresh cuts where the branches are the diameter of a dinner plate. They were carrying away truckloads of him. Je suis pleurant! I only hope they knew what they were doing. Willows tend to have weak branches anyway and maybe they were concerned about the amount of leaf surface compared to the small space he has for roots. Or maybe he was breaking the concrete and they were fighting back; qui sait?
I visited him on a later trip and he was starting to regain some of his size but still only about a third of the tree that he has been since he became my friend. If you visit him, be sure to tell him I think of him often.
-----Original Message-----
I recieved a copy of a British magazine this week and there is an article in controling tree/shrub growth. However, the section on Pollarding trees (cutting back to the trunk at one height) seems remarkable similar to topping the tree. The only difference that I can see is that pollarding is done on a regular basis to remove branches before they become too thick.
Does anyone know how (or if) this practice is 'better' for the trees than topping?
Kate Copsey |
-
Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
KTCopsey, 11/14/2004
-
RE: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
eczekalski, 11/15/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
Jill Nooney, 11/15/2004
-
[gwl-g] Re: topiary,
Ellen Zachos, 11/16/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Re: topiary,
Suzanne Pierot, 11/16/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Re: Orange County Gardens, Sandie Parrott, 11/16/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Re: topiary,
Suzanne Pierot, 11/16/2004
-
[gwl-g] Re: topiary,
Ellen Zachos, 11/16/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
Jill Nooney, 11/15/2004
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
-
Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
Hamptongar, 11/14/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping, Lon Rombough, 11/14/2004
-
Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
Margaret Lauterbach, 11/14/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping, Carolyn Ulrich, 11/14/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping, Dan Clost, 11/14/2004
- Re: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping, ApisMNO, 11/15/2004
-
RE: [gwl-g] Pollarding vs topping,
eczekalski, 11/15/2004
Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.