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Tree experts: best way to trim backside of this tree as it grows?

9 years ago
So this young Summer Cascade weeping River birch, according to its tag, will grow 6-8 feet both tall and wide. It has this amount of space on sides (between it and the fig and rose tree) and in front we don't mind if it goes 3-4 feet which its tag suggests (I'm assuming 6-8 feet total, so that would be 3-4 in each direction).
My question is that back wall. We were told by nursery it would be fine but others have questioned their judgment here. But I want to know how to make it work. Please don't tell me to move it. We cannot as this is our entire patio/ yard, that is it and this is the only place it can go.
Instead please tell me the best schedule and way to trim this tree. I have heard if you trim certain ways it can make it super thick and bushy on the inside of the canopy losing its graceful shape.

At any rate, any productive advice is so so welcome here!

Thanks so much

Comments (12)

  • 9 years ago
    This keeps happening. Houzz keeps giving an error message saying it cannot post at that time. Then goes ahead and posts it anyway. Sigh
  • 9 years ago
    so sorry for the duplicate post. But there is a glitch on this app
  • 9 years ago

    Either move it now, or cut it down in a few years. It's roots will lift your foundation, and it's branches shade out all of the other plants that need full sun. It is a completely inappropriate tree for the location.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So the brickwall in that picture is only a wall not our home, which makes it better I think. our neighbor has a tree that is 20 feet in same spot in their patio next door and all fence walls are still fine. all the residents have one at least 15 feet tall in the corners of their fence areas like this. all fences are one side brick, one side wood. Also the way the sun comes in the River birch can't shade out the rose and fig. the sun rises behind the brick wall shining at the angle of fig tree first, then weeping river birch/ rose. hard to explain but I could sit there with a giant umbrella to that corner and it would do nothing to the other two trees :D. in the evening the whole brick wall gets lit up evenly from the other direction. again River birch won't block. Hope this makes sense.

  • 9 years ago

    thanks! I'll do that :)

  • 9 years ago

    Remove the tree. It won't work long term.

  • 9 years ago
    Hello,

    Can you tell me a little about why?
  • 9 years ago

    Because the tree will VERY quickly outgrow that location. No amount of pruning will force an unsuitable choice into being an appropriate one.

  • 7 years ago

    How recently was this small tree planted? To me it looks like it is already growing in the way you want it to, as it is naturally shaded by the walls but this might be because you had it turned that way when you just planted it (if you did).

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I will preface this by saying I'm no official licensed landscaper (and I hate most landscaping styles), I'm just someone who has been into gardening since I was a child but I have only had small spaces to work with. I can't guarantee that what I say is best.

    here's some things I have done that might help you:

    I have planted undestory/small trees by walls (a flowering dogwood and a native
    plum). I just trim the lower branches on the wall-side all the way to the
    trunk and leave the others and top branches full. I do this until they
    are over the wall. Then, I remove the branches along the trunk so it is
    more tree-ish, it's similar to general tree-training except you are more
    aggressive on one side than usual.

    The house I live in came with crepe myrtles planted almost under the eaves of the house. They were too large to remove without paying a lot of money (and possibly damaging the house) and/or cutting them to ugly stumps and using chemicals. What we did was the same as the above but to a multi-trunked tree, letting the farthest trunks mature and keeping the others in check. Now that the farthest trunks are older and shade the bottom+top branches are taller than roof it doesn't need trimming as often.

    The species mentioned are all larger than yours and do not have a cascading habit so I'm not sure how much applies. Still, since these are just walls (not important foundation) and they are casting shade in one direction I think this spot can work especially since this is a tree with smaller leaves that are less likely to get hurt by growing up into the walls.

    Short Version: It being such a small height is the main concern to me as it will never fully clear the fence but due to being in a corner that discourages growth in the area you don't want it it's probably fine IMO. It's actually less crowded than the dwarf fig is and will create a nice effect with the small cascading leaves.

    Pair it with some cottage garden plants in pastel shades to complete the look (if you are in the American Southeast I have recommendations; cooler areas should have plenty of lists online).

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I don't see an insurmountable problem here. Look at the trees top branch (visually). At the tallest part of that branch, find an upward facing bud, and prune back to that bud. You'll get a branch that grows vertically for a bit before it starts to lay over. When it starts to turn downward, prune it again to a bud facing upward and in the direction you want the branch to grow. By repeating this cycle, you can build a tree that rises gently away from the corner and grows tall enough that you'll be able to prune the hanging branches to above head ht. All of the branches existing on the back side of the tree will be eliminated.

    Other things to do: First examine the tree for clusters of branches currently growing close together on the trunk and thin them to avoid unsightly bulges later, as the entire trunkline that now exists will be branchless. Your tree will grow up and away from the corner, and all branches proximal to the trees visual apex will be absent. As your tree gains ht, you'll be gradually limbing up from the bottom to the visual apex. Let all the second order branches grow until they get to be about 1/3 the diameter of the trunk. It's very easy to do and requires no knowledge other than how trees respond to pruning (and how to prune correctly). If you'd like an image of a Morus alba male weeper on which I have and used the "prune the tallest branch(es) to an upward facing bud" technique. If you want an image, I can provide one.

    If you prefer, the tree can grow away from the corner for a bit, then back toward the corner before again growing away from it.

    You know how messy these trees are - yes?

    Al