Do it when thetree is dormant so any time after leaf fall and before the sap starts rising again towards the end of January. Do it on a day when frost is not forecast so the wound can heal before frost damages the cells.
Cut off the main weight of heavier branches about a foot/30cms from the trunk and then remove the final piece neatly, close to the trunk. This technique should avoid tearing the bark and causing damage which can't heal. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=233
You can buy a pruning saw quite cheaply. The Wolf tool system is good as you can buy different tool heads and handle lengths as and when you start to need them without breaking the bank all in one go. Good quaity too.
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)."
I have hellebores, cyclamen, Geranium Macrorrhizum, Geranium phaeum "Samobar", euonymus "Silver Queen", saxifrage "London Pride", Brunnera "Jack Frost" hostas and daffodils under trees. I also have Periwinkle (Vinca), but it is rampant here, so I would now only plant it in a bed on its own. It is evergreen and has pretty blue flowers, there is a variegated one.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Hi Rowie. I think you've had some excellent advice here! the challenge with planting under trees is that 1. they block light (when in leaf) 2.they act like an umbrella, so little rain gets through to the soil immediately underneath 3 they suck up an awful lot of moisture, so the end result is the dreaded "dry shade". There are plenty of plants that will thrive in these conditions though, many of which have been suggested. If you plant some early flowering spring bulbs, these will do their thing before the tree comes into leaf and then quietly fade away until the next year, whilst the other plants people have suggested start to come into their own. To the excellent suggestions already made (especially Geranium Macrorhizzum, fab plant for this situation and brilliant for lazy gardeners, as it needs no pampering) I would just add Epymediums - the flowers are not terribly spectacular, but pretty enough in spring when they have also have lovely vibrant green leaves, they will grow in the driest spot right near the trunk of the tree. Some varieties also have lovely leaf colour in Autumn - although not mine, it seems!. I've never seen them in the garden centre, so you are probably best looking online for these. Like all perennials, they can be quite pricey but they will spread really quickly and you can divide them after a year or so to get lots of new (free) plants.
..have you never thought of getting rid of the tree?... it's only going to get bigger..and bigger...and so on... a lot of gardeners would probably regard Sycamore's as nuisance trees and that one does look a bit precarious too.
Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't really thought about getting rid of the tree, I do quite like it, however I will consider removing some of the branches as suggested.
Is there room for it to get really large, which it will, they're big trees.
We made what I consider a mistake (OH doesn't agree, they made good firewood) in letting some willows become huge. When we came here they would easily have been removed. By the time we got round to it they were hanging over wires and road and it was a tense job
To be honest, I'd remove the sycamore and replace it with a tree that is more attractive and creates a less dense shade. Sycamores do grow absolutely huge, the shade underneath is dense, they invariably get a sooty mildew on the leaves so they don't even look attractive and they're not particularly good for wildlife. And then of course there's the problem of the seeds all taking root around the garden ...
While they're perfectly good rural hedgerow trees in my experience they're not really suitable for a garden - I'd take it down while it's still manageable - it'll cost big money to do it when it's bigger, and that will be in just a few years' time.
Sorry, I'm a big fan of most trees in most gardens, but if that was mine Ithat's what I'd do.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I know it's costly and easy for us to suggest removal, but something I might factor in is how long I think I might stay in this property. If the intention is to move on within 5 years or so then I might leave it as it'll become someone else's issue... but if 10-15 years or indefinite, then I would consider getting rid of it, although it will cost a few hundred pounds I expect.... long time since I removed one.. however, your large garden and not having anyone the other side of the fence - I think that's what you're saying.... might mean that this isn't in any way urgent for you... only you know this..
...long time gardeners who enjoy plants tend not to like Sycamore...or Ash...anywhere near their plots..
Posts
Do it when thetree is dormant so any time after leaf fall and before the sap starts rising again towards the end of January. Do it on a day when frost is not forecast so the wound can heal before frost damages the cells.
Cut off the main weight of heavier branches about a foot/30cms from the trunk and then remove the final piece neatly, close to the trunk. This technique should avoid tearing the bark and causing damage which can't heal. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=233
You can buy a pruning saw quite cheaply. The Wolf tool system is good as you can buy different tool heads and handle lengths as and when you start to need them without breaking the bank all in one go. Good quaity too.
I have hellebores, cyclamen, Geranium Macrorrhizum, Geranium phaeum "Samobar", euonymus "Silver Queen", saxifrage "London Pride", Brunnera "Jack Frost" hostas and daffodils under trees. I also have Periwinkle (Vinca), but it is rampant here, so I would now only plant it in a bed on its own. It is evergreen and has pretty blue flowers, there is a variegated one.
Hi Rowie. I think you've had some excellent advice here! the challenge with planting under trees is that 1. they block light (when in leaf) 2.they act like an umbrella, so little rain gets through to the soil immediately underneath 3 they suck up an awful lot of moisture, so the end result is the dreaded "dry shade". There are plenty of plants that will thrive in these conditions though, many of which have been suggested. If you plant some early flowering spring bulbs, these will do their thing before the tree comes into leaf and then quietly fade away until the next year, whilst the other plants people have suggested start to come into their own. To the excellent suggestions already made (especially Geranium Macrorhizzum, fab plant for this situation and brilliant for lazy gardeners, as it needs no pampering) I would just add Epymediums - the flowers are not terribly spectacular, but pretty enough in spring when they have also have lovely vibrant green leaves, they will grow in the driest spot right near the trunk of the tree. Some varieties also have lovely leaf colour in Autumn - although not mine, it seems!. I've never seen them in the garden centre, so you are probably best looking online for these. Like all perennials, they can be quite pricey but they will spread really quickly and you can divide them after a year or so to get lots of new (free) plants.
..have you never thought of getting rid of the tree?... it's only going to get bigger..and bigger...and so on... a lot of gardeners would probably regard Sycamore's as nuisance trees and that one does look a bit precarious too.
I'd remove those two largest branches on the right for a start.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't really thought about getting rid of the tree, I do quite like it, however I will consider removing some of the branches as suggested.
Is there room for it to get really large, which it will, they're big trees.
We made what I consider a mistake (OH doesn't agree, they made good firewood) in letting some willows become huge. When we came here they would easily have been removed. By the time we got round to it they were hanging over wires and road and it was a tense job
In the sticks near Peterborough
Well we don't back onto anything and the garden is pretty large.
Can we keep it under control with regular pruning etc?
To be honest, I'd remove the sycamore and replace it with a tree that is more attractive and creates a less dense shade. Sycamores do grow absolutely huge, the shade underneath is dense, they invariably get a sooty mildew on the leaves so they don't even look attractive and they're not particularly good for wildlife. And then of course there's the problem of the seeds all taking root around the garden ...
While they're perfectly good rural hedgerow trees in my experience they're not really suitable for a garden - I'd take it down while it's still manageable - it'll cost big money to do it when it's bigger, and that will be in just a few years' time.
Sorry, I'm a big fan of most trees in most gardens, but if that was mine Ithat's what I'd do.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I know it's costly and easy for us to suggest removal, but something I might factor in is how long I think I might stay in this property. If the intention is to move on within 5 years or so then I might leave it as it'll become someone else's issue... but if 10-15 years or indefinite, then I would consider getting rid of it, although it will cost a few hundred pounds I expect.... long time since I removed one.. however, your large garden and not having anyone the other side of the fence - I think that's what you're saying.... might mean that this isn't in any way urgent for you... only you know this..
...long time gardeners who enjoy plants tend not to like Sycamore...or Ash...anywhere near their plots..