How careful maintenance maximises the value of trees
At JS Wright & Sons, we offer services ranging from the planting of the highest quality sets, right through to the felling of the very same trees at maturity.
We also provide maintenance on all of our contracted trees, ensuring that we maximise both the value of the tree and the quality of the clefts we produce.
What exactly do we do to maintain the trees? And how does the work we do benefit our customers?
Careful maintenance to ensure maximum potential
We trim all of the trees that are under contract twice-per-year, removing shoots up to a height of around 11 feet (approx. 3.4m). This is a crucial part of maintaining the trees, and it is important that it is done as early as possible.
This is because, once the shoots become too ‘woody’, they are likely to cause knots. While knots don’t prevent the tree from growing, they will obstruct its growth and the grain is therefore unlikely to be straight.
It is also important to carefully manage the undergrowth surrounding the tree to ensure that they get as much moisture as possible.
How are shoots removed?
When shoots are very small they can simply be rubbed off, but larger ones are removed using a sharp trimming tool, as shown. The sharp blade allows the shoots to be removed easily, but it must be used in an upwards direction to ensure the bark isn’t damaged.
What happens if trees aren’t maintained properly?
If shoots aren’t removed from a tree they can develop into small branches. which can render the trees worthless. Although they don’t have any impact on the performance of the bats, knots have an aesthetic impact on the clefts we produce and therefore devalue the trees.
If the undergrowth isn’t maintained properly and other plants are in close proximity, the growth of the tree will be slowed as it won’t be receiving enough moisture. Interplanting between trees will reduce the amount of water that the tree receives.
How else can we protect your trees?
As well as the maintenance services that we provide, we can also apply guards to the trees in their infancy, to protect against wildlife and livestock. These come in the form of:
-Plastic rabbit guards or tree shelters which prevent small rodents being able to cause damage
-Metal guards to protect against larger animals such as deer. These are made in India to our specification.