Cut back/cut down Rowan tree

rubble2

Hello,

We have a Rowan (so I am told) tree in our front garden. The house was built about 20 years ago and we moved in just over two years ago.

It is a nice tree, and I don't know if it predates the house or if it was planted by the developer, the problem is it is in the wrong place. I have attached a picture and as you can see it is too close to the driveway and could do with being a few feet over to the right. I appreciate that I can't uproot and replant a tree that size so I wondered if we had it fairly radically cut back would it a) survive, and b) look ridiculous?

Th problem it is causing is that when the berries appear the tree drops sap/juice all over the parked car and the tree becomes a canteen for the local Magpie population who proceed at add their own waste to the deposits on the cars.

Felling the tree would be a last resort and if it comes to that we would want to plant a replacement in a better position.

Looking for any suggestions on this please.

Thanks

sheramber

You could look into coppicing it. it would then send up several new shoots and be more of a bush.

 

rubble2

Thanks for the reply, just going away to Google coppicing.

Farway

Could you remove the LH trunk, the one nearest the drive and concentrate on the RH leaning ones, so all berries / poo fall onto grass?

The tree may look a bit lop sided after but maybe not too bad? And even "architectural" perhaps?

Thereafter remove or restrict all growth heading over the drive

Slinky

Probably planted by the developer. Rowans seem to be a popular choice with developers!

goldfinches

You could pick the berries yourself and make them into jelly although so near a road they probably aren't as good to eat as they might be nevertheless here is a UK recipe Rowan Jelly: How to Find it and Make it - Woodland Trust.
I think @Farway has made a good suggestion and @sheramber too. Or, I suppose you could just remove the berries that are above the car or even remove the flowers earlier in the year so that the berries don't form.

theoretica

As above - picking the berries once a year would reduce the issue significantly.

Another thing you could consider is bending it with ropes/cables to an anchor point on the ground to its right. With or without reducing the number of trunks. You would need to make sure the weren't a trip hazard and be careful about how they attached to the tree not to damage it.  Bonsai techniques, basically.

goldfinches

Or there's using the hedge laying technique(s) which seem to have endless specialist societies and web pages but I thought this one might be a good start Home Page (hedgelaying.org.uk)

RAS

In addition to removing the near/left hand branch as per Farway, half way up the "right hand" trunk, there appears to be a decent branch leaning further right? Removing that almost flush to the branch would help balance the tree as viewed from the house and keep the wind profile more balanced. 

I'd probably leave it at that this year, then review it early next summer. Post another picture in the winter when the structure is easier to see? And possibly take out one or two taller branches hen that will bend over and drop fruit later 

-taff

If it doesn't provide shade for your car [ important if you have no air con in the summer] and is otherwise useless, I'd cut it down and plant one somewhere else. [This is from someone with a neighbour with a very badly and annoyingly placed tree so chop is my usual answer now, life's too short to fanny about]

rubble2

Thanks everyone for the information and suggestions - much appreciated.

I think (trying to combine some of the possible solutions which have been put forward) I will proceed as follows :-

I will engage with a local tree surgeon and find out what options they offer regards reducing the overall bulk of the tree, cutting back the left hand overhang as much as possible whilst balancing the right hand side for symmetry.

I will then see how things look next summer and may well try removing the berries as suggested above.

I guess that it would be sensible to wait until later in the year when the berries and foliage have gone before attempting to cut back. ( I will keep a photograph of the tree as is to show the tree surgeon the extent of the problem.)

Thanks again for all the help