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Downsizing an Elderberry tree

Gn0meGn0me Posts: 85
in Plants
I have this tree at the bottom of my garden. As you should be able to see in the photos, a trunk goes off in a different direction behind the garage.





If I want to, can I remove it without affecting the rest of the tree?

It prevents me from putting wider stuff behind the garage and it doesn't seem to create too many branches above anyway.

Thanks very much.

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Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Just chop it off! You can cut an elder down to the ground and it will regrow, but with dozens of separate stems rather than a tree with branches. You can expect it to do the same when you cut that branch - new stems will grow from the exposed end and you will need to keep cutting them off.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes you can chop that down at the base … it won’t cause any problems. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Gn0meGn0me Posts: 85
    Buttercupdays said:
    Just chop it off! You can cut an elder down to the ground and it will regrow, but with dozens of separate stems rather than a tree with branches. You can expect it to do the same when you cut that branch - new stems will grow from the exposed end and you will need to keep cutting them off.

    Thanks very much.

    It's the gift that keeps on giving.......which I don't want!

    Thanks again.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    You can trim the canopy down to size, take out all the dead branches (elder seem always to have a lot - brittle - they just snap off). Do what you want with it.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    You can trim the canopy down to size, take out all the dead branches (elder seem always to have a lot - brittle - they just snap off). Do what you want with it.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Previous advice has been excellent but, to restrict regrowth as much as possible, you might like to keep an eye on your recycling for a suitably sized non-transparent plastic bottle to slip over the remaining stump after you've removed the unwanted stem?  Parazone Bleach bottles spring to mind - with a very useful handled funnel from the top end.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    you can take it to ground AND mow over it for most of a season and it will srtill come back


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Gn0meGn0me Posts: 85
    Thanks for all your advice.
    Almost feel guilty now murdering it.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Not murdering … formative  pruning 👍 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    @Gn0me We have a similar elder near the house that we use the flowers and berries for wine each year. However about every 4th year we cut it right back nearly to the ground and allow new growth in the Spring. We don't get flowers that year but we do the next year.
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