Tree experts - Sycamore and Ash advice needed..

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stevewestern

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Some clients of mine want to know about feeding and looking after sycamore and ash trees - they have some on their border that are meant to hide them slightly from the neighbours.
They actually belong to the neighbours who do nothing, so I want to find out how best to feed, what to mulch with and any tips to help these trees to grow rather than slowly die off.
So experts, any help will be gratefully received and listened to - thank you !
 
I'm a million miles from being even remotely an expert but I thought that large-ish trees pretty much take care of themselves.
 
simon ess said:
I'm a million miles from being even remotely an expert but I thought that large-ish trees pretty much take care of themselves.
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These are not big trees - they were planted to comply with the councils demands, but the neighbours property is a hotel, and their last concern is tree's. Seems the council involved are a little less than straight, the hotel really should not be there, and the tree's were just a tiny effort to show willing. The story is a lot more complex, and my clients are trying so hard to avoid getting in private detectives etc, but they may well do so if they have to...
 
Sounds like they need a lawyer.....
 
Sycamore and ash trees will not provide any cover or shielding to talk of, they are both straight trees with few if any lower branches when grown. However they are both very nice trees. I have never know anyone feed them after they are planted, they should do well on their own if they were started properly. Sycamores are often grown on pavements along roadsides in towns, as they have no lower branches to get In the way and are easily pollarded.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Sycamore and ash trees will not provide any cover or shielding to talk of, they are both straight trees with few if any lower branches when grown. However they are both very nice trees. I have never know anyone feed them after they are planted, they should do well on their own if they were started properly. Sycamores are often grown on pavements along roadsides in towns, as they have no lower branches to get In the way and are easily pollarded.
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Thanks for that, very helpful.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
Sycamore and ash trees will not provide any cover or shielding to talk of, they are both straight trees with few if any lower branches when grown. However they are both very nice trees. I have never know anyone feed them after they are planted, they should do well on their own if they were started properly. Sycamores are often grown on pavements along roadsides in towns, as they have no lower branches to get In the way and are easily pollarded.
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I think you may be getting sycamores confused with plane trees. Planes have historically been widely planted as street trees especially in London - ‘London plane' is a variety. In Scotland the common names are reversed, a plane tree is a sycamore etc.

I have never come across sycamores (Acer pseudoplatanus) being planted as a street tree as they have little amenity value, likewise the Ash, although some more exotic varieties might be planted. Both will thrive in the UK with no special treatment necessary, although ash are in danger of succumbing to 'ash die back' which threatens to wipe them out completely.
 
Never heard of sycamores being used for screening (these leylandii horrors are usually planted to give fast screen).
Sycamores can reach 100ft with a very wide spread that blocks out light. They don't need feeding because they grow like bloody weeds and cast thousands of "helicopter" seeds that germinate all over the place.
[council involved are a little less than straight,
the hotel really should not be there,
private detectives,
story is a lot more complex]

Sounds like tree feeding could be an insignificant part of the story.
 
I will add that my client knows nothing about trees, and was guessing at the types planted. What the neighbours say they did may not be quite what actually was done...
 
Cartus said:
I think you may be getting sycamores confused with plane trees. Planes have historically been widely planted as street trees especially in London - ‘London plane' is a variety. In Scotland the common names are reversed, a plane tree is a sycamore etc.

I have never come across sycamores (Acer pseudoplatanus) being planted as a street tree as they have little amenity value, likewise the Ash, although some more exotic varieties might be planted. Both will thrive in the UK with no special treatment necessary, although ash are in danger of succumbing to 'ash die back' which threatens to wipe them out completely.
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"London Planes and American Sycamores. ... The London Plane is of hybrid origin – it is the offspring of two different species, the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and the Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), and it is a tree that did not exist prior to European colonization of the new world ."

In most of the UK they are planted interchangeably, as most are now natural hybrids, Though a sycamore would grow very tall if not pollarded.

As a woodworker it can be impossible to tell the timber apart from each other, and as a tree the main difference is in the height.
 
A couple of photos, of the leaves and the trees in situ, would be handy to identify them accurately.

As said above these are not usually used for screening and if left alone are likely to grow like 'normal' trees, ie tall bare trunk with leaves at the top.

Unless the soil is very poor I can't think they will ever need feeding; both are very hardy trees.

Dave
 
If they are recently planted the first thing to note is whether they have supports and plastic ties etc. It is very common for young trees to be planted with a plastic tie attached to a stake which is then not removed and will eventually cut into the tree and damage it. Just loosen where necessary and remove if no longer needed. Young trees can benefit from the grass etc around them being kept in check so they are not in competition.

If they are sycamores they will seed around and will soon form a little forest ;). I have a very large sycamore in the garden and know of which I speak ;) — my various neighbours have huge wild cherries which are even more prolific — the bird and mice love ‘em though.
 
stevewestern said:
These are not big trees - they were planted to comply with the councils demands, but the neighbours property is a hotel, and their last concern is tree's. Seems the council involved are a little less than straight, the hotel really should not be there, and the tree's were just a tiny effort to show willing. The story is a lot more complex, and my clients are trying so hard to avoid getting in private detectives etc, but they may well do so if they have to...
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Ash trees are huge when they do grow, we have one in the back garden that towers over the houses, there's more scattered around over the back wall that aren't quite as tall - there's even one growing up through the centre of our back hedge. Someone told me they were probably seeded by the big one, Ash spreads like giant weeds! As nice a tree as it is, I don't want them everywhere. They take no encouraging, no looking after, they really do take care of themselves and will grow just about anywhere there's soil.
 
Cagey75 said:
Ash trees are huge when they do grow, we have one in the back garden that towers over the houses, there's more scattered around over the back wall that aren't quite as tall - there's even one growing up through the centre of our back hedge. Someone told me they were probably seeded by the big one, Ash spreads like giant weeds! As nice a tree as it is, I don't want them everywhere. They take no encouraging, no looking after, they really do take care of themselves and will grow just about anywhere there's soil.
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I second this:-
We have an Ash and two lime trees......all three are approx 35 to 40 years old.

The lines are pollarded every couple of years and can produce about 12ft of growth between pollards.

The Ash has in recent years been difficult to get right in regard to shape & overall shape. We had a good tree surgeon in last year and is way better than all previous such jobs.

FWIW
The Ash also had the crown lifted a bit to compliment the Limes. They do provide a decent upper level screen, by that I mean from 10-12 feet upwards...

Oh, and yes we find lots of Ash saplings all around the garden including in the low level conifer hedge and they are a real PITA to get rid of :(
 
Box Brownie said:
I second this:-
We have an Ash and two lime trees......all three are approx 35 to 40 years old.

The lines are pollarded every couple of years and can produce about 12ft of growth between pollards.

The Ash has in recent years been difficult to get right in regard to shape & overall shape. We had a good tree surgeon in last year and is way better than all previous such jobs.

FWIW
The Ash also had the crown lifted a bit to compliment the Limes. They do provide a decent upper level screen, by that I mean from 10-12 feet upwards...

Oh, and yes we find lots of Ash saplings all around the garden including in the low level conifer hedge and they are a real PITA to get rid of :(
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No idea how tall our big one is but it's well north of 12 foot. 20+ I would say at a rough guess. The neighbours had one at back that was blocking the sun in their garden so they decapitated it, the b****r has been growing back since :D they are relentless
 
Cagey75 said:
No idea how tall our big one is but it's well north of 12 foot. 20+ I would say at a rough guess. The neighbours had one at back that was blocking the sun in their garden so they decapitated it, the b****r has been growing back since :D they are relentless
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So are sycamores. Absolutely fine provided they are no where near houses.
 
If your clients have a wood burning/multi-fuel stove/fire pit/chiminea, ash is one of the best woods for burning.

Dave
 
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