Large sycamore tree in garden

[fir]

I have a very large sycamore in my garden which blocks out a lot of light into the garden. It would cost over £800 to have it cut right down so am thinking of having a crown lift on it to increase light. Does anyone know if this would encourage it to grow taller - something I don't want to happen. Thanks

[Moonmoth]

Hi , Last year I paid 350 to have a crown lift on mine and so far am v pleased though it did take a while to get used to it as it suddenly seemed v v Tall .

[Hobjob]

Its a sycamore - it will grow taller whatever you do or don't do.

It may be cheaper in the long run to get rid of it now and plant something better for wildlife and/or more attractive.

[fir]

Thanks for the replies. Am contacting tree surgeon to see what extra light would become available. Would love to have the tree cut down with a more wildlife friendly tree but I'm afraid funds don't allow.

[Phil Dye]

Hello fir,

Crown lifting your tree will not cause it to grow taller. Trees will grow to their optimum height, depending on the environment they're growing in. An open grown tree with no light competetion will put it's energy into secondary growth (girth/width). Woodland trees grown close together will put on apical growth (height) because light competeion is high.

Go for the crown lift. It will let light in through the lower crown. Have you got a photo? I might be able to tell you what you should be paying for a crown lift. A crown thin may benefit you too as it would allow light to pass through the crown.

Some people will tell you that sycamores are weeds. They are wrong. Any plant can be a weed if it grows in the wrong place. Sycamores are native trees and make majestic noble specimens when open grown.

Best regards

Phil

[thebeard]

not native, but introduced from europe many centuries ago. i wouldn't describe them as 'weeds' but in my opinion aren't the most pretty of trees, though like phil says, they are quite nice when they are 'open grown'.
sycamore woodland is pretty poor habitat too, as their large leaves form a thick canopy which stops light getting through, meaning that the woodland floor is often devoid of much of a herb layer.

[Phil Dye]

Hello Beard,

Yes, it has been known to be introduced but new carbon dating records have found sycamore seeds pre-dating the ice age in S.E England, which would suggest it is native. This is still to be confirmed but likely due to its distribution throughout England/Wales/Scotland.

regards

Phil

[fairplay]

In the event of your having a very large garden, you could always ring bark it, causing it to die the following year.
This won't cost you a penny, but it could cost you your life as there is no telling when or which way it will fall - which it will.

NEVER do this though if you have a small garden or if fences or outhouses are nearby or if you have children - you don't want it falling on them, nor dead branches either.

Otherwise give ring barking a try and then tape off that part of your garden for a radius of one and a half or twice the height of the tree, then just enjoy the creatures that are drawn to a dying tree.
Then when it falls, you can observe the beetles and fungi that will help recycle the tree.

Neil.

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Phil Dye

Hello Beard,

Yes, it has been known to be introduced but new carbon dating records have found sycamore seeds pre-dating the ice age in S.E England, which would suggest it is native. This is still to be confirmed but likely due to its distribution throughout England/Wales/Scotland.

regards

Phil

Most interesting - thanks.

[thebeard]

i didn't know that! interesting...
just not a fan really, we've medium sized sycamores lining our road outside, and they are a bit boring . at my old house we had london plane and lime trees which were much more nice to look at (though the honeydew from the limes was a nightmare for car owners!)

sorry i'll stop now, seem to be diverting from the OPs thread