When to prune River Birch
joyboise
12 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (20)
joyboise
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Pruning River Birch
Comments (4)man.. thx for the pix.. not anything like i was picturing.. ignore the top .. prune up a few of the lower scragglers ... the leaf thing is irrelevant... and totally escaping me right this second. of course.. as soon as i hit send .... i might even go straight up the middle and remove any interior branches ... as to the major trunks... they will go.. where they will go.. as the tree grows ... i 'bet' they will start growing away form each other... ken ps: it looks telephone poled [planted too deep] .. can you find the trunk/root interface ... kill the grass in a 5 foot circle.. and add a 4 foot ring of mulch.. but not w/in 3 inches of the trunks ......See MorePruning Heritage River birch.... 2 questions
Comments (2)Molie Since noone had given any repies, I'll offer a bit of info. First, you can prune off dead branches anytime. The reason you state is valid, though a bit confused. You either meant bronze birch borer, or birchleaf miner. But river birch, at least where I live, is less affected by these insects than some other birch species. There is no magic formula as to how much pruning can be done to a tree in a given season. But, there is a general guideline stating that no more than a third of the crown, meaning live branches, should be removed in any one pruning event. Your tree is newish though, and I'd let it have as much live foliage as possible for a few years to help it get going. Also, birch trees really dont typically need any work done to the interior of the crown. You can pretty much just leave them be. If you want to see more of the attractive trunk, you can gradually "raise them up" by removing a few lower branches. Just take your time. It doesn't have to happen all at once. and again, I'd not initiate this practice until the tree has established itself well. Perhaps three or so years down the road, you could begin this raising up process. Hope this helps.........+oM...See MoreDiff between River Birch and 'Heritage' River Birch
Comments (6)I simply love the overall look of 'Heritage' River Birch trees. The 'Dura Heats' are reported to withstand planting areas that drain better and that may encounter more drying out in the hottest parts of summer, when rains are less apt to occur. Personally though, the 'Dura Heat' birches seem to display a little more yellow than I would prefer to see in a birch tree's bark. The leaves also do not seem to be as nicely shaped or colored as the Heritage Birch tree's leaves. Bottom line; I guess whichever birch cultivar you plant needs to the cultivar that is more compatable with the soil conditons and climate that the tree will encounter in its intended planting site. Still personally I prefer the Heritage Birch tree cultivar over most others. There are even prettier cultivars than Heritage Birch, but any those others that happen to tolerate my USDA zone area seem to be more prone to Birch borers or even other pests, which feed off the leaves of such birch trees....See MoreRiver Birch Pruning
Comments (7)Gwydify, Most all the more trusted sources I've seen advise pruning Betula nigra in late spring (especially in warmer areas) or early summer (in cooler areas) to reduce bleeding. Bleeding often doesn't significantly hurt a healthy tree, but it can weaken it and make it more susceptible to other possibly damaging agents. Pruning late in the season doesn't provide sufficient time for the tree to close off the wounds before sap rise the following spring. Here is an example of what I've seen and it agrees well with my experience: "While most other trees would be pruned in early spring, birches...should only be pruned in late spring (or early summer) after the leaves have reached full size. A tree that is pruned before the leaves have developed will bleed sap depleting the tree of moisture and sugar. Late summer (through winter) pruning is also discouraged because, although there will be no bleeding immediately following pruning, the non- healed cuts will begin to bleed as soon as sap begins to flow in spring." I added the things in parentheses....See MoreSara Malone Zone 9b
12 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years agowhaas_5a
12 years agowisconsitom
12 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years agoSara Malone Zone 9b
12 years agowhaas_5a
12 years agowisconsitom
12 years agojoyboise
12 years agobrandon7 TN_zone7
12 years agowhaas_5a
12 years agobrandon7 TN_zone7
12 years agoSara Malone Zone 9b
12 years agowisconsitom
12 years agofrodo1997
11 years agobetwolffert
10 years agoIrishDan
9 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
Related Stories
LANDSCAPE DESIGNGreat Design Plant: River Birch
Pick this rugged native tree for its intriguing peeling bark, soil adaptability or leaves that bring dappled shade to a garden
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESWhen and How to Plant a Tree, and Why You Should
Trees add beauty while benefiting the environment. Learn the right way to plant one
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESWhen to Use Engineered Wood Floors
See why an engineered wood floor could be your best choice (and no one will know but you)
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNCooking With Color: When to Use Red in the Kitchen
Candy Apple Red, Red Licorice and more for your kitchen walls, cabinets or island? The color choices are as delicious as they sound
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGOutdoor Fountains Bring the River to You
Chill out with a custom or kit water feature for your patio or yard — there's even one for a furry friend
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESCentral Plains Gardener's February Checklist
Learn the right way to prune trees this month — when you're not busy spying intrepid spring-hinting blossoms, that is
Full StoryREGIONAL GARDEN GUIDESSoutheast Gardener's February Checklist
Pinch, prune and prepare this month — springtime's riches in the garden will be here before you know it
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSouthwest Gardener's March Checklist
Dust off your gardening tools and get busy pruning to help your trees and plants reach their full potential
Full StoryNORTHWEST GARDENINGPacific Northwest Gardener's January Checklist
Planning, pruning and planting now will help your garden flourish in the coming year
Full StoryLIFE6 Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Be Good Neighbors
Everyone wins when your children learn to respect boundaries, get help when they need it and show others they care
Full Story
Sara Malone Zone 9b