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How could I make a very temporary coloured spray to aid accurate pruning?

B3B3 Posts: 27,505
in Problem solving
I'm reshaping my large bay tree which had got quite overgrown.
It's driving me nuts climbing up and down the ladder to see how it's going.  I think I've got it right, get down and I haven't, back up again, repeat ad nauseam
Is there something I can make up using food colouring or something to paint or spray a line on the leaves without doing any permanent damage . Bearing in mind I won't be able to hose it off.

In London. Keen but lazy.
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Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    spray just above where you want to cut it off, then it's gone



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited September 2022
    Just overcut a bit.  It will soon grow back.
    You will need to overcut, because it will growback, and quickly.

    But to answer your question less indirectly, why not try a suspension of chalk powder.  It will be washed off by the rain. Slaked lime would do little damage.  Turmeric powder would work, but would stain you and your clothes also.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited September 2022
    Good plan, but with what @nutcutlet?
    How about poster paint if I'm going to chop it off?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Whatever you've got or is cheap. A bit of white emulsion left over from a ceiling? Water based rather than oil based probably



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London Posts: 731
    Water based paint should be ok , otherwise ( since you are SE London) you might find a local  Indian / Asian shop that stocks something like this :Purple Holi Colour Powder - 70g packet – Ministry of Colours which should be non toxic / non flammable etc. Or some chalk based spray?
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I've got a bag of match pots somewhere. I'll see if any of them haven't dried up. Or I could splash out and buy one!. Thanks everyone😊
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited September 2022
    chalk paint is usually the thing used (as noted). Then it doesn't matter if it gets on paving or other plants. Half used bottles are probably cheap on Ebay.

     My holly hedge could certainly do with some chalk paint.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    Making progress. I've managed to chop the leaders and flatten the top a bit. I'll  get the paint and finish the job later in the week. I want to wait for the chopped  bits to start to die otherwise  they look  like they're attached and cause problems  working out where  to chop
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited September 2022
    B3 said:Making progress. I've managed to chop the leaders and flatten the top a bit. I'll  get the paint and finish the job later in the week. I want to wait for the chopped  bits to start to die otherwise  they look  like they're attached and cause problems  working out where  to chop
    Looks good in the pic, but what is the scale.  I have many bays trees, but two not in pots grew big.  Mop head, ca 5 ft to top, single stem.  I attacked it mid August with a battery hedge cutter -  just about powerful enough.  It is now growing back and I needed to prune out a few leaders today.

    To keep it to size it should be an annual job. It's a good idea to look deep inside the head and cut by half any rapid-growing water shoots.

     Are you more lazy than keen?
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    It's about 30 years old.I usually keep it down to about 7ft but I missed a few prunings so the leaders would have been pushing 9 or 10 ft.I
    It really needs a trim 2 or 3 times a year. 
    In London. Keen but lazy.
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