This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
To Keep The Trees Or Not?
MJSR
Posts: 6
When I moved into this house the garden was a total wilderness. It took a lot of time and effort to clear away over 10 years of neglect, and I have had hubby lift some of the paving slabs to make a flower bed.
What I'm not sure about are the trees. The skinny saplings in the photos are now five years older and bigger. The two close together are rowans, one has red berries the other has orange berries so I'd like to keep them. Further towards the shed is an ash sapling. So far it is healthy.
Would I be better to remove them now before they get any bigger, or is it reasonable to keep the trees in such a little garden? Any advice will be appreciated
0
Posts
Rowans are lovely and are OK for small gardens. I would get rid of the ash.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
When I enlarged the photo it looked as though 2 trees were growing out of the same hole. I would get rid of one.
Agree with the above. You also need to remove the slabs around the base of the trees. They all appear to be growing through the gap between slabs and as they grow they will be damaged by the trunk being restricted and then die or be blown down.
Rowans are often recommended for small gardens so keep at least one but both if possible. Ash trees get huge and are likely to get ash die-back disease so I would get rid now before it becomes a major logistical problem.
I would also consider lifting slab at the feet of the trees to allow more light, air and water onto the soil. You can improve the soil with some bought in compost and plant some spring daffs and maybe allium Purple Sensation for later on and ground cover such as geranium macrrohizum which has a long season of interest - flowers in late spring/early summer and good foliage which turns red in winter.
Agree with above, especially obelixx, who rightly points out, that they need far more space at the base of the trunk.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I would check the base of the trunk to make sure they haven't already been damaged. Any bark rubbed away and I wouldn't keep them.
I can see what Verdun means as well. What sort of garden are you going to make? Will the trees be an asset or a nuisance?
In the sticks near Peterborough
No garden is too small for a tree? But possibly only 1.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I think I'm coming down on Verdun's side .
As much as I love trees, that plot looks too small . Look how close those walls are, think of the foundations. I think you might be storing up trouble for the future.
Of course, it's your garden and your choice.