Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed, promoting a dense head of foliage and branches. It has been common in Europe since medieval times and is practiced today in urban areas world wide, primarily to maintain trees at a predetermined height.
In domestic homes, tree pollarding is performed to restrict the space that is to be occupied by a tree. This is ideal if you have several trees in the garden which you would like to control the size of. Annual pollarding can be performed to ensure that they grow smaller than their natural size, but in an aesthetic shape.
Maintenance after pollarding
Once initiated, a pollard should be maintained by cutting the new branches on a regular basis. The frequency of regularity is decided according to the site management objectives, species, age or condition. Branches that grow after pollarding should normally be cut at their bases in order to encourage the formation of a knuckle.