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Pollarding lime trees
in Plants
Our council are pollarding and 'lifting' lime trees and plane trees along our road at the moment but this is June and I understand that this should usually be done in the autumn or winter! Do I have grounds to complain? I understand that it is not ideal for the trees because they will lose more sap at this time of year.
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Yes, but unlikely to be successful. Tree and hedge work should be done outside the nesting season i.e. In September to February but can be done now if the trees are surveyed and no nests are present. They should have an ecologist on site. You should ring the local police and ask for the wildlife officer. Or speak to natural England.
Thanks very much for your helpful answer.
The RHS says:
"... When to pollard
The best time for pollarding many trees and shrubs is in late winter or early spring. However, bear in mind the following:
Avoid pruning Acer species in spring when they are prone to bleeding sap. Summer can be a suitable time to pollard. However, the new growth may be poor as a result of the scorch, drought or heavy shade cast by neighbouring treesThe least favourable time for pollarding is the autumn, as decay fungi may enter the pruning cuts ..."
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=156
I hope that helps
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks so much for your input. However, I don't think lime and plane trees are Acer species are they?
I wish our council would prune back the lime trees on oour road, I repeatedly asked and the rsaid they would, still waiting, they haven't been touched for 6 years, they're making loads of shade and they drop really quite large branches whenever there's any wind all over our front gardens, on the cars, the path,soon on someone walking by no doubt, they're enormous and i really wish they'd planted something more sensibile!!! grrr!!!
No ...... I just quoted an extract from the RHS advice on pollarding trees. If you read it the mention of Acer species is just a caveat to the general advice.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.