River birch trees (Betula nigra) add focal interest and light shade to the garden. Details B. pendula is an elegant medium-sized deciduous tree with slender drooping twigs. Silver birches are not really a garden tree unless you have a huge garden or have one of the lower growing cultivar ones.Â. They mainly produce light, open canopies, which doesn’t cast dense shade, making them good tree choices for small gardens. A lot of people advertising as tree surgeons  or tree care specialists have H&S and chain saw certificates - this does not mean that they have the expertise necessary to shape a tree - you may find some help here http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/homeowners-tree-advice-forum/Â. A much better way to let light into the base of birches is to remove lower horizontal branches. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." I guess there's no room for theory when it comes to arboriculture... my husband has cut  a branch of my silver birch. Good pruning practices do not include "topping" trees, i.e. please tell me if i can do anything to stop it bleeding to death???? You … Obelixx Vendée, Western France Posts: 22,460 Always start by removing damaged, dead, diseased shoots, followed by weak, lax or rubbing growth. When the tree is properly pruned, the sun can filter though the small rounded leaves and light the hidden center. Keeping a Fantastic Birch Bark. Riiver birches are planted in Maryland, because the paper birch is susceptible to bronze birch borer and eventually dies of it. Should we top it?, prune it? Silver birch is a striking, medium-sized deciduous tree. Dig a circle in the ground around the birch tree, spanning 10 inches for each inch of trunk. ALso has given an opportunity to shape it a bit better every time. Hello!! 10,848 silver birch tree stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free. Birch tree pruning is recommended to preserve or improve tree structure, vigor and life-span. This trench will help loosen the roots so they do not snap when you begin straightening it. So, how to lower the top of a tree that is too tall? Pruning is necessary for young river birch trees and for older ones at selective times to ensure adequate health. The time to make a long lasting effect on the form and structure of the plant is when the tree … Going against the tree’s natural habit produces ungainly trees that lack grace. They are usually sheared off at a uniform height. See silver birch tree stock video clips. Pruning can reduce specific defects or structural problems in a tree to greatly lessen the risk of failure. I assume hire a tree trimmer, but still want to make sure it is done properly. The advantage of clump planting is that multiple white trunks have a far bigger impact than a single tree trunk, and when birches are clumped close together the competition between … Neither tree requires regular pruning. You should be able to ask for photos of trees he's done or else a list of his clients whom you can call.    Don't leave it too long as the sap will be rising soon, if ithasn't started already, and your tree could bleed to death.    Â. Be as conservative as possible. But however, where I am may be lost.”, http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/homeowners-tree-advice-forum/. There will inevitably be a lot of haphazard regrowth around the top. Among the tools you can use are the following: Hand Pruning Shears: Stems up to half inch in diameter can be pruned with hand shears. Silver birches (Betula) are very much prized for their graceful appearance, particularly in winter when their gorgeous bark can be fully appreciated.Although called silver birch – silvery white isn’t the only bark colour available. It did look very ugly when it was done but ok once it was clothed in green. The Silver Birch is a very delicate and serene tree and my advice when pruning is do not prune them back too hard (not short back and sides)! Birch – Pruning, Winter Care and Fertilizing. Our native silver birch prefers company. Removing more than twenty-five percent of the canopy of a tree at one time weakens it and may be fatal. Topping a tree seriously affects its health and value in the landscape. Even though some tree pruning companies still "top" trees, this actually makes the resulting new tree branches more weakly attached to the tree and thus more apt to break off. Its range extends into Siberia, China, and southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran. You get a lot of twiggy growth from the cut ends and this needs to be lopped regularly. So, how to lower the top of a tree that is too tall? On this occasion we will not dedicate the article to talk in general about birch tree, but we will focus on specifically covering two of the most popular varieties, the River Birch and the Silver Birch. Paper birch tree - when and how to top? I found a website that does address it: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/shape-multitrunk-birch-trees-36776.html , but want to make sure. The river birch tree is known for its beautiful peeling bark that is generally cinnamon in color. Broken, diseased, or dead branches are typically removed in order to prevent decay-producing fungi from infecting other areas of the birch tree. In America it is known as White Birch. But if your garden is small, a single graceful tree makes the perfect ornamental specimen An ethereal group of Betula pendula . chopping back the top, sort of like a crew cut. The result is an unsightly tree with thin, upright branches called water sprouts at the top. chopping back the top, sort of like a crew cut. There is a certificate of competence a good tree surgeon should advertise as having. !, we have a paper birch tree - one main big trunk, two smaller - all which fan out and lean. Raising a silver birch tree successfully requires knowledge of how to keep the tree healthy and growing. How to Prune a Birch Tree. These trees have their own charms, however. It is important to prune your birch when it is in full leaf (except for the smallest twigs). When renovating an old tree go slowly, pruning judiciously and not trying to fix every wrong at once. Both of these birches have light, curling bark, but the river birch is not as white as the paper birch. - maybe 45 feet high - small back yard with fences and garages to worry about. Its long branches droop down, forming a swinging skirt that drapes the trunk. Removing the top from a birch will result in an ugly tree. 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