Problem Sycamore tree...?

We have a large sycamore tree which is only 5m away from the corner of our house. It has been maintained/pruned yearly by the previous owners of the house (we only moved in in Feb this year).

When should we get the tree pruned to keep it to it's current shape & size?

[ 22. August 2005, 08:37 AM: Message edited by: ellgee ]

 

thanks for the reply - yes, we intend to get a tree surgeon to do the work for us (it's higher than our 3 storey house!) so we wouldn't dare try it ourselves!
I'll make a few phonecalls for prices.

thanks again

 

The best way to prune a sycamore is with one cut 2 feet above the ground.

 

Awww, but if we did that, where would all the liddle birdies go????

 

Plant a different tree! Sycamores have a nasty habit of spreading their seed far and wide, which is a nightmare for weeding, especially when you miss one while it's little and it takes firm root among the raspberries...

And you could make that stump a feature in the garden, a nice rustic seat, or use it as a table and make benches from the rest of the trunk. I'm sure we can come up with some cool ideas between us!

 

ellgee, Sycamores are messy,massive and no use and as Hannah sais seedlings everwyhere... try Eucalyptus gunnii they are evergreen hardy and give dapple shade and can be controlled easier...I lopped one of mine down, the gales did in winter, a shed dropped on it and a 8ft Fig bush too....now Fig bush is even more bushy and 4ft high again. Eucalyptus has 100 s of new shoots from almost bottom, a real nice shrub now for my chickens to go under .lol

Ladybird

 

Hi ellgee
You may find this of interest as you say the tree is only 5 metres from your house - be aware that a lot of damage caused by such large trees goes on underground especially on clay soil

 

Bayleaf, have you got anything on planting distances for palms, on clay.

 

Bayleaf, what about cherry,can't read if that's in feet or metres.Mine is 30feet away :confused:

 

I think cherry is on the 10 metre line Paladin, thats 30ft plus in old money :D

 

Heck! Hope the good soil here helps the roots grow down not up :rolleyes:

 

Hi All
Measurements are in metres, (& these are all minimum distances) the distance for cherries is 11 metres (about 33 feet).
Palms from arid terrain tend to root downwards, due to their search for water. What sort of
Palm(s) were you thinking of Pete?
Sycamore need to be at least 17 metres from dwellings (about 51 feet), safe trees for 5 metres include Magnolia, Yew & Beech

 

Mmmm, I have a very old established lilac (here when I moved in) about 8 foot from the house - but in a raised bed due to the slope of the ground. I would be loath to remove it though so with a bit of watering, and fingers crossed will hope damage does not occur on my clay.