Coppiced(?) Beech Maintenance

david25:17 · 30 January

Hi everyone,

I've moved into a new home, with a nice sized, but (according to neighbours) not well maintained garden, with a lot of plants and trees I've never owned or looked after. So, I'm looking for some help with a beech that looks to my untrained eye as coppiced. The longest stems from the ground are 5-6m high, which is probably the tallest I'd like it to get.

My question is how best and how far to cut back. Does everything go down the the ground or just some, reduce height by 50% etc.?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

David

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/8q/2i882yw0j3a9.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/aq/xoxnbaibaqav.jpg

StephenSouthwest · 30 January

Hi David

Are you sure it's beech, and not hazel?

What shape or size would you like it to become?

david25:17 · 31 January

Hi Stephen,

Sorry, I think you're right. It's a mixed hedge, also with a beech and oak further to the right.

Height wise I'd like to keep it around 5-6m, but in terms of general shape, the hedge is such a mish-mash it all kind of morphs together in summer!

thevictorian · 31 January

It looks like a hazel to me as well. If it is they are simplicity itself as they tolerate just about any amount of cutting you would like. You can coppice them down to the ground but it's perhaps better to just remove a third (or what looks right) of the stems once a year. Doing this yearly prune you still have enough stems to produce the nuts as they fruit on the previous seasons wood. You will also have lots of useful hazel sticks.

Loxley · 31 January

Yep traditionally you cut the whole lot down, then it gradually grows back up in that shuttlecock shape. But you can do it in stages if you don't want to lose the height. Cutting right down would make it easier to get in and give that holly a good shear though.

What I would not do is reduce by 50%, you'll get ugly regrowth from the cut stubs of branches.

Coppiced(?) Beech Maintenance

Posts