Willow Tree Pollarding: Maintaining Mature Willows
For this project, Beechwood Tree Care returned to two mature willow trees that our team has pollarded several times over the years. Pollarding is an effective way to manage established trees, controlling their size while encouraging new growth.
Using this method, our team carefully removed two years of regrowth, taking the willows back to their established pollard points while leaving small stubs to encourage new growth.
Project Overview
The project involved repollarding two established willow trees that had developed significant regrowth since their previous visit. Our team needed to remove the long growth and prune the trees back to their existing pollard points, helping to control the size and weight of the canopies.
One of the willows presented an additional challenge as the tree was completely hollow and had developed a large crack. With the customer keen to retain the tree, regular pollarding provided a way to manage its growth and reduce the weight of the canopy.
Ongoing Management of the Willows
Our team has worked on the trees several times over the years, returning periodically to manage the new growth that develops from the established pollard points.
Regular repollarding helps keep the canopies at a manageable size and prevents excessive weight from building up as new branches develop. This ongoing approach is particularly important for the hollow willow, where managing the amount of regrowth helps reduce the weight being supported by the tree.
By returning to the willows as they regenerate, we can continue to manage their growth and retain the established pollarded form.
Willow Tree Pollarding & Repeated Attention
Our team used a cherry picker to safely access the canopies, providing a stable working position without relying on the trees for an anchor point. The two years of regrowth were carefully removed back to the established pollard points, leaving small stubs to encourage healthy new growth.
One of the willows required particular care due to extensive hollowing within the tree and a large crack that had developed in the structure. Rather than removing the tree at this stage, repollarding allowed us to reduce the amount of growth it was supporting while retaining the willow in the landscape.
The tree will continue to require regular management and monitoring, with future repollarding likely to be needed as new growth develops.
Project Outcome
Both willow trees were successfully repollarded, removing the long regrowth and returning the canopies to their established pollard points.
The work has left the trees smaller and easier to manage, with small stubs retained to encourage fresh growth. Over the coming seasons, the willows will begin to resprout and gradually develop their canopies again.
For the hollow willow in particular, ongoing management will be important in helping to retain the tree for as long as it remains safe to do so.
Contact Us
For further information about our services or to discuss how we can help maintain the health and longevity of the trees in your environment, please contact us today.
