I have a 14 ft tree whcih is bare for most of it but has started sprouting at the bottom. Should i cut it dowm . How and where do I cut it and is this is what is meant by copicing.
You can be very vigourous when cutting these plants, that much I do know compost maker, if it's any help.
I hard prune my eucalyptus at about this time of year every year (into a lollipop shape). If you don't want to cut it back altogether, you could try cutting it back to the point you'd like it to grow from, and see what happens.
As jarbax says, were ever you want it to grow from cut it even right down to ground level and ittl regrow (coppice). If you cut it midway up then its termed polarding. Save the logs for yourself or someone with a woodburner as they burn beutifully when seasoned.
Eucalyptus are one of the "everliving trees" ... you'll never kill them ... or Arbutus unido (the Strawberry Tree). I can't tell you what it is about them but they DO NOT DIE, believe me. The mountains around me are nothing but Eucalyptus and Arbutus and we have horrendous fires which can destroy 90% of our mountain trees ... and these two always come back. Trim them as you want ... shape them as you want ... crucify them if you want to ... they will always come back and reward you ... believe me on this one.
Mine died, it was about 8ins in diameter and ten or so years old, I had only cut out the top up until I decided to cut it right down. It then died, I think it was a snow gum, ( pauciflora), not sure if all eucalypts have a lignotuber from which they can reshoot if cut right down. Gunnii is probably the most common in the UK, I think.
