Ask Matt

Matt Loader is Arboricultural Supervisor of award winning Amesbury based Bawden Garden and Tree Care. A qualified tree surgeon, Matt answers your tree queries below…

Q:  My neighbour’s hedge and a tree within it are both encroaching into my garden over our boundary fence. Before I take matters into my own hands and have the offending growth cut back, am I safe to instigate this or is it seen as interfering with someone else’s property? I’ve dropped several hints in the hope they would sort it but nothing’s happened

Ah yes, party hedges – the bane of many a law abiding citizen’s life! Put simply, the hedge and tree in this case are, of course, the property of your neighbour. However, any branches or growth that encroaches on your air space i.e. growth that is definitely in your garden (hanging over the boundary fence), you have the right to trim back to the fence, particularly if you’ve taken every opportunity to request your neighbour trims the hedge and tree back from your land and nothing’s been done. Trim beyond the fence, however, and you would be trespassing in the eyes of the law.

Amusingly, as the tree and hedge is not yours you must return the material you have removed to your neighbour! However, to prevent a punch up and to avoid being told precisely where to put it you may consider suggesting you will dispose of it yourself. In which case, if you use a tree surgeon to do the cutting back, make sure they are reputable and will take the arisings to a green waste recycling facility for composting.

Whilst I would always advocate negotiating in a friendly way to either get your neighbour to sort out the hedge or get approval from him/her so that you can arrange the trimming back, in instances where friendly relations are not in place you could always mention the fact that you would be within your rights to sue for trespass, nuisance or, in the case of a dangerous overhanging limb, negligence if they fail to act or allow you to do so!

Hedges and trees have been going through quite a growth spurt in recent weeks, thanks in part to the damp conditions. If they need cutting back any reputable tree surgeon will confirm that the ‘closed’ season for hedge trimming, when birds could still be nesting i.e. March to the end of July, is now over and you can safely call in the experts to take your hedges back down to a manageable level. 

As a final word of caution, beware the ‘Bodge-it and Scarper’ brigade who are already doing the rounds. “I’ve just been trimming a hedge for your neighbour up the road missus and notice your hedge could do with some attention. I could fit you in now if you like…..” Please don’t go this route unless you know for a fact that the person is fully qualified (with NPTC qualifications) and insured. Many a good hedge and tree has been butchered beyond recognition by so called ‘tree surgeons’ who are nothing more than opportunists. If they give you a card with no company address and only a mobile number beware. Reputable tree surgeons will be members of either BALI – the British Association of Landscape Industries (www.bali.org.uk), or the Arboricultural Association (www.trees.org.uk). And if they say they are, check they’re being truthful by contacting the trade bodies in question for confirmation.

If you have a query about your hedges or advice on pruning, call me on 01980 622185, email enquiries@bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk or visit www.bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk.

Q:  I’ve been asked a number of times recently to explain the technology we use at Bawden to detect decay in trees and thought it would be of interest to readers who have large, mature trees in their gardens that may be showing signs of stress or decline.

It is important to determine the extent of the problem before taking the ultimate decision to remove a tree, which may have taken many years to reach its stage of maturity and will leave a gaping hole if it is felled. Experienced tree surgeons will always look for the visible signs of decay before resorting to technology but, where those signs are inconclusive, technology confirms or dispels their suspicions.

The Picus Sonic Tomograph (not to be confused with Doctor Who’s sonic screwdriver!) is a specialist electronic instrument that provides a computer generated image of the interior of a branch or trunk by measuring the speed at which sound travels through the wood from different positions. As sound travels fastest through solid wood, and decayed wood slows its path, an accurate picture of the tree’s internal condition is generated. A number of sonic sensors are spaced around the circumference of the limb or trunk and they detect stress waves generated by manually tapping with a hammer on a number of metal nails at regular intervals around the suspect limb or trunk. Computer software converts time-of-sound transmissions into two dimensional pictures that document decay and cavities. 

The Resistograph is a drilling instrument that probes the tree with a micro drill to a depth of up to 40cm. As the probe advances it measures the resistance encountered. Good healthy wood gives a high reading and poor dysfunctional wood or cavity gives a lower reading. 

None of this is rocket science but it saves many a tree that might otherwise have been felled ‘just in case’ because a visible survey was inconclusive. 

Q:I have trees in my garden that have got out of hand and need pruning by a professional tree surgeon but I’m unsure of how to describe over the telephone what I need doing. Can you provide a layman’s guide to tree surgeon speak for pruning to give me an idea of what it is I need a tree surgeon to do?

A professional tree surgeon will always need to visit you to see the trees in question in order to make an accurate assessment and provide you with a valid quotation. Any tree surgeon you haven’t used before who quotes over the phone without coming to assess the work is, in my view, dubious. That said, it’s as well to understand the terminology we use so that, when a tree surgeon does come along to quote, you are familiar with the terms used and can understand a little better the work that’s required.

It’s important to remember that all tree pruning has an effect upon the needs and health of a tree and whilst customers’ requests for pruning are responded to it is vital that the tree surgeon takes into consideration the impact on the tree of any work undertaken. That’s also why it is vital that tree surgery is carried out to the British Standard 3998 ‘Recommendations for Tree Works’, which specifies what should be done, how, and by whom. So here is my layman’s guide to the pruning terminology you are likely to require:

Crown lifting - Removing some or all of the lower branches of a tree’s crown. In public areas this is usually done for safety reasons e.g. near footpaths or highways. In domestic gardens it helps increase light.
Crown cleaning – Removing dead or diseased branches that have the potential to cause injury or accident. This operation is generally only done where there is risk to the public as the dead wood has a positive ecological benefit when left on the tree.
Pollarding - Pruning back branches from an early stage of the tree’s life and regularly cutting back to same point at intervals of one to five years. This creates pollard heads, which store energy.
Root pruning – Where tree roots have the potential to cause damage to paths or foundations of buildings. This activity is likely to threaten the tree’s health and ultimate stability so felling may well be the only alternative.

The best option is to prune your trees annually, which then prevents major intervention by a tree surgeon and ensures they stay healthy and stable. If, however, your trees haven’t been pruned regularly and need a sort out, contact a qualified tree surgeon and request they visit to assess the work required and provide a quotation, or call me on 01980 622185 or email enquiries@bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk if you require further help or information. www.bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk

Q: Last summer we noticed an infestation of what resembled miniature armadillos on a Japanese maple in our garden. What are they, are they likely to return and, if so, how can we get rid of them?

There are broadly three types of insect that can cause damage to the trees in your garden: chewing insects (beetles and caterpillars) – they eat the leaves, flowers, and twigs and you’ll spot the damage as either notches in the leaf or leaves that are left as skeletons; sucking insects (aphids, mealy bugs and scale insects) – these feed on sap within the plant causing drooping, wilting and discoloration; and boring insects (emerald ash borers, bark beetles) – the larvae feed beneath the bark of the tree and the adult insects lay eggs in tunnels beneath the bark. These are probably the most destructive of the three types and can certainly kill a tree. 

Scale insects, which are what I think you had on your maple, are difficult to control. The adult scale insect is like a dark brown limpet (or armadillo!), which attaches itself to the stem and branches of plants. It will attack a wide range of woody plants - including Japanese maples, bay trees, citrus (oranges and lemons), elaeagnus and numerous other trees, shrubs and even fruit trees and bushes. The adult scale insects can be difficult to control, because the scale covering protects it from predators and is impervious to contact insecticides. In spring and summer, the adults breed and the females produce a white, almost cotton wool-like substance, which are the eggs or egg mass, containing between 500 and 2,000 eggs, and then dies. The eggs hatch to produce a crawler stage, which settles on a suitable part of the plant, starts to feed and becomes immobile. Scale insects are sap suckers and a large infestation can weaken plants - especially small or stressed ones. They excrete honeydew on which black sooty mould will grow, causing the leaves of the plant to turn black. 

Unfortunately, they may well return this year so if you spot them as the weather warms up, start by carefully scraping off as many of the scale insects and their egg masses as possible, being careful to make sure you don’t drop any on to other stems or branches. Use a damp piece of kitchen towel to wipe the stem clean and dispose of it carefully. You’ll then have to spray the affected areas and as much of the trunk and foliage as possible with a systemic insecticide, which should do the trick for two to three months. Be careful if you’re spraying fruit trees and get advice on which type of insecticide you can use safely from your garden centre or call me on 01980 622185 or email enquiries@bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk. www.bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk

Q. I have an ash tree in a woodland area of my garden that’s smothered in ivy and the tree’s starting to show signs of stress. Is it the ivy that’s the culprit and, if so, what do you suggest we do about it?

“If ivy is left to run riot it will climb its way across and up the entire trunk of a tree, particularly trees in more woodland settings. The tree eventually suffers because the bark stays damp and the tree suffocates. The simple remedy is to carry out ‘ivy banding’ which, as the term suggests, involves removing a band of ivy around the circumference of the tree towards the bottom of the trunk. The ivy then dies away and can be pulled off, leaving the trunk to breathe again.”

Q.Can you tell us the best time to plant new trees and the sort of things we should consider when choosing what to plant?

“January and February, provided you can get a spade in the ground, are good months to plant either bare root or containerised stock. Trees are dormant at this time of the year, which is why we carry out tree surgery work such as removing dead and diseased wood and crown lifting. Likewise with planting; if young trees are dormant they won’t suffer the shock of being uprooted and planted elsewhere. Your choice of tree depends on first, what you’re trying to achieve in your garden, e.g. privacy, noise abatement, produce (fruit), shade, form, colour etc; secondly, what restrictions you have to consider, e.g. boundaries, your neighbours’ right to light, foundations of your and your neighbours’ houses, danger from seeds and berries to children and pets etc; and finally your garden’s aspect in terms of which way it faces, prevailing wind, soil type etc. Then you can start looking at the options. A good place to start, if you have access to the internet, is the Royal Horticultural Society’s website at www.rhs.org.uk where they have a very useful Plant Selector facility. Just put in your preferences and up pops their suggestions for a suitable tree, or any plant for that matter! Alternatively, give me a call on 01980 622185 and I’ll be happy to give you some suggestions.”

Q. The lower branches of a large oak tree in our garden are touching the roof of our garage and overhanging our neighbour’s fence. Can it be pruned back without spoiling its shape? 

A. “Yes, provided the work is done by a qualified tree surgeon. Simply lopping off the ends of the offending branches could create dead wood and will give it an unnatural shape. These problems are avoided by ‘crown lifting’, i.e. the selective removal of the lower branches. It is advisable to have this work done on a fairly regular basis if possible as removing lower limbs on more mature trees can leave large wounds.”

Q. Several of the trees in our garden have Tree Preservation Orders on them. We are planning an extension and one of the trees will have to be removed. Do we apply for permission ourselves or will the company we ask to remove it do the paperwork?
A. “Applying for work to be done to trees protected by a TPO is best done by the company you engage to carry it out, provided they offer this service. Bawden prefer to complete TPO applications for our customers as we can explain in professional terms the work required and the local Tree Officer then has the information necessary on which to base their decision. We make no charge for this service, even if permission is not granted and the work cannot be undertaken.”

Q. We have a large beech tree with a very distinctive brown and white fungus growing near the base. Is this something we should be concerned about?
A. “Probably! From the description, and the type of tree, it sounds like a Ganoderma fungus (there are several types), which is a wood-decaying fungus that feeds on dead heartwood and is found mainly in broadleaf trees, particularly oak and beech. The very distinctive fungus is often the only outward sign that there is something amiss with the central core of the tree, and it definitely needs investigating. In January of this year we section felled a 180-200 year old beech tree at Amport House, Wiltshire that displayed signs of the Ganoderma fungus. At approximately 130ft in height and with a base diameter of about 5ft the tree was big specimen by anyone’s standards! The problem came to light over a year ago following a visual survey. The fungus was present but we didn’t know to what extent the integrity of the tree had been compromised. A Resistograph was used to find out just how serious the problem was and the results confirmed our worst fears - the core of the tree was badly decayed and it had to be felled safely before it fell down. The entire tree was felled with just 12 cuts by one Bawden climber and a team of six ground staff over two days, leaving a 6ft stump as a wildlife habitat for beetles and other insects. Ganoderma fungus should definitely not be ignored if you value life and limb!”

Q. Now we’re coming into autumn, what work should we be doing, or having done, on our hedges and trees?

“I suspect you’ve already noticed people out there trimming their hedges. This is definitely the time to begin cutting back your hornbeam, beech and topiary hedges as the growth period ends and preferably before the frosts arrive, probably mid November. Only attempt yourself those hedges that you can reach easily without standing on steps or over-stretching, especially if you are using an electric or petrol hedge trimmer. Many accidents are caused by home owners on steps, leaning up or across high or deep hedges, losing their balance and falling. A reputable garden maintenance or tree surgery company will do it quickly, safely and correctly, ensuring the hedge line, height and depth are beautifully even. October is the time to start planting deciduous trees and shrubs but avoid doing so in frosty or very wet conditions. If you need work carrying out on larger trees, including crown lifting, removal of dead wood, pruning, there is no reason why this can’t be done when the tree is in full leaf but it must be done correctly, otherwise you risk opening up wounds that can result in the tree become diseased.”

A word of warning….

“There is a particularly nasty pest that is spreading west from the London area – Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea processionea). The larvae appear in clusters, primarily on oak trees, and devour the leaves. The caterpillars have hairs that carry a toxin and can be blown in the wind causing severe irritation if it comes into contact with human and animal skin, eyes and bronchial tubes. These larval infestations must be dealt with by qualified tree surgeons with the corrective protective equipment as trying to deal with them yourself could cause severe discomfort. No sightings in the Wiltshire area have yet been reported but if you think you have seen a tree with clusters of furry caterpillars, call Bawdens on 01980 622185. On no account attempt to disturb or remove the nest yourself.”

If you have a question on trees or hedges, or on garden maintenance issues, call Bawden Garden and Tree Care on 01980 622185 or email enquiries@bawdengardenandtreecare.co.uk