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Laburnum overhang from neighbours

jackier2010jackier2010 Posts: 4
in Problem solving
I would like to trim an overhanging branch of a laburnum bush from next door but have read that they bleed if done pre autum/winter. Can anyone advise please.
 🐞 Ladybird 

Posts

  • Cottage CompostCottage Compost Posts: 496
    You'll have to / should really now wait until the winter months.  Lob it off next February. If you do it now the tree may very well suffer....... but that might be what you want!

  • jackier2010jackier2010 Posts: 4
    Thank you for that advise.  I thought that might be the case and I certainly do not want to damage my  neighbour's tree.  Just a bit afraid of the poisonous aspect therefore wouldn't really choose to have it in my own garden.  Will wait till the winter now though many thanks
     🐞 Ladybird 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If you're really worried because you have small children or pets I expect it would be OK to dead head just the flowers before they set and drop seed.   Bear in mind lots of gardens have laburnums and some well known and much visited gardens have famous laburnum arches and tunnels and no reports of death or illness so maybe just teach everyone in your household to be sensible about touching the plant and not eating the seeds.

    Meantime, if that is not an option, have a friendly word with your neighbours about pruning that branch in late summer and explain your concerns.   The last thing you need is a dispute between neighbours.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    If you have a problem with small children or pets , I suggest have a word with the neighbour, and take off all the overhanging flowers  with secateurs. That will not damage the tree.  My garden is full of poisonous plants. I don't eat them so they are no trouble.
  • jackier2010jackier2010 Posts: 4
    Thank you all so much for your advice.  I might just take off the over hanging flowers as suggested as there aren't many and as long as I can be sure it will not harm the tree. I'll also try to catch my neighbour to explain beforehand. 
     🐞 Ladybird 
  • Cottage CompostCottage Compost Posts: 496
    There are many trees, plants, seeds, flowers etc that are poisonous in various ways but in reality you'd have to consume a great deal of material, so much so that it wouldn't be physically possible to actually poison yourself.

    At the same time something that's not poisonous at all can kill someone that has an allergy.... Strawberries!

    Apple pips are poisonous, foxgloves, daturas and more but has anybody actually suffered much or killed themselves?

    People have killed themselves from consuming laburnum, but it has been argued that they intended to kill themselves in the first place.  Most would just throw up, seek advice and recover very quickly afterwards without medication or treatment.
  • jackier2010jackier2010 Posts: 4
    Thank you for this. Perhaps I just need a bit of perspective?
     🐞 Ladybird 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I think so.   Since the dawn of human time we have lived with plants which are toxic and plants that are medicinal and plants that are both depending on how they are used.  

    Something as innocuous as a daffodil is toxic but they've now been found to have several compounds beneficial to medicine including a relatively new Alzheimer treatment based on galanthamine.   Yew is poisonous but has also been found to have a compound which helps treat breast cancer.

    Yu just have to be sensible about what you eat , train your children and grandchildren never to eat anything from the garden without asking first and, in some cases, just be sure to wash your hands after gardening and before preparing food which is just common sense anyway.  
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Cottage CompostCottage Compost Posts: 496
    Rather than spoil the appearance of the tree, enjoy it when it flowers.

    If you have children using / visiting the garden just be mindful of what they are doing and make sure they wash their hands afterwards for the small number of days / weeks the tree is active etc.  After flowering, and after it has dropped everything it's going to clean any fallen debris up in one of many ways you can and dispose of it safely after which the tree is a relatively safe to children and animals.

    A flowering Laburnum is such a splendid thing to have and enjoy.
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