Wonderful insights from experience. Geoff what you’re suggesting is the ideal or best time. I’ve noticed in the permaculture orchard I go by the good, better, best rule. Yes use your suggestions for best, but it comes down to scale and available workforce as well. In our north temperate continental climate that ideal time of early fall is the start of harvest season so we don’t look to add other maintenance tasks. We’ve been using early to mid summer as a good (not ideal) time to prune our nitrogen fixers. Keep up the great videos and cheers from Canada.
Ive gotta say, youve just given me an awesome idea to manage the very invasive weedy privet here in the lower blue mountains NSW. Trying to revert my block back into an endemic native rainforest with a touch of fruit and native food forest mixed into the edges.
I live in a temperate zone, supposedly, 50kms inland, but we definitely have more subtropical aspects. Dry winters, dry and hot spring, and wet summers with most rainfall in March/ April. Whatever zone, I appreciate this information to explain why and when to chop and drop.
Brilliantly done! When i lived in the ca. Bay area, we had three, before the el nino, storm surge moved in. We had full weirs, perennial creeks, streams and wonderfull tulie fog days. The walnut trees planted in the weirs fed and enormous crow flock, and all of us, in the neighborhood. The ducks, cranes, herons, and, even swans. The apts i lived in used to be a horse paddock. There was animal life everywhere.
Hi Geoff Love the work you are doing and have done,if capitalism was based solely on permaculture and sustainable regeneration, you would be King It is sad to hear that some of the potential world changing projects and designs you have done,are not implemented,through greed corruption war etc. I am not the brightest so want to ask silly question.As you just said trees in general need the fungi from decomposed wood etc,do u also compost around trees as well,or is this mix counter productive. I am glad to see you have not let the bastards get you down,as not taking you're advice and implementing your plan was their loss Love you Keep up great work,you really deserve a Nobel prize Nick Lomas London England
Hey there, Forgive me if this is a silly question, I just dont wish to make assumptions. So the INITIAL pollarding, the initial big cut of your chosen tree, will be at the start of the wet season in tropical/subtropical climates? Roughly around May for myself in Cambodia with the current climate predictions. It's just during the video you spoke about cutting/chop and dropping your new shoots at the start of your wet season, as opposed to talking about the initial pollarding. Which is what I would like to know when to do! Thanks, Mitch
Hi! What is the difererence, in a temperate continental climate, between chop and drop and just planting a decidious tree that would drop its leaves by itself ? Thanx, Greetings from Canary Islands, Awesome videos!!!
Is it possible, I wonder, to have the long term support species so dense that there is competition for water/space to uptake water in the dry season? Or is shade always better than room for roots to express themselves?
Here in arizona we have a summer monsoon (with peak temperatures.) Sure there is more water but it evaporates rather fast and it might be cloudy for the one day. by next day it's hot, humid, and may or may not storm again. I don't think this is a good time to do any pruning due to evaporation and heat in spite of the brief higher humidity and occasional cloud. Would it make more sense to do any pollarding and the like around October? we still see some winter rains but it's not nearly as much and not nearly as humid... but the temperatures are also way down. have you worked with anyone in arizona and already have suggestions? thanks.
Great comment. We are in Az Between Kingman and Bullhead City. Hardly any good rain this season. Growing in summer...wasn't great. Will focus on fall and winter here.
you are correct on your assumptions. Im in tucson and i prune everything late fall, later if its a warmer fall/winter. timing the chop n drop with the slow, cool, winter rains is the way to go.
I am in temperate climate (US zone 7). Pollarding (chop and drop) in the autumn would leave my trees weaken and susceptible to freezing winter weather. I am afraid that a heavy prune (like a pollard) just before the winter freeze could kill the trees. That is why we are told to prune in March when trees are dormant. Which is it?
Geoff, when in a climate where deciduous trees drop their leaves, should one always wait until after leaf drop before coppicing? I assume yes, but wondering if it's better to give the trees time to heal before the harsh winter comes...
There seems to be a consensus that they should be cut before breaking dormancy in spring, or late winter. For fruit trees that are winter pruned it is advised to do pruning after the coldest weather of winter has (likely) passed. Less of a consideration in places that only experience light frosts, assuming you aren’t growing any borderline frost tender species.
It is for some, like stone fruit and many nut trees. Not sure about apples and pears. To me it seems like a good form to maintain for trees that want to grow too tall to conveniently prune and harvest. If you lose the ability to be able to prune, it is bad news for fruit production and usually health of tree eventually.
True, some hold on a long time. I’ve read before, several times I think, not to prune trees in late summer/early autumn because you don’t want to stimulate new tender growth that won’t have time to harden off before the frost.
![Primary Nutrients for Plants [PDC Preview]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JJNBsFxPEJ8/mqdefault.jpg)
You explain this stuff so brilliantly, entertainingly too. It is fascinating. You have an amazing connection to nature.
Wonderful insights from experience. Geoff what you’re suggesting is the ideal or best time. I’ve noticed in the permaculture orchard I go by the good, better, best rule. Yes use your suggestions for best, but it comes down to scale and available workforce as well. In our north temperate continental climate that ideal time of early fall is the start of harvest season so we don’t look to add other maintenance tasks. We’ve been using early to mid summer as a good (not ideal) time to prune our nitrogen fixers. Keep up the great videos and cheers from Canada.
Very Nice...I am an Ecologist...with you ...my Ecological Intuition..is going to higher levels//Thanks 🌎
Quick translation:
Chop & drop at the beginning of the rainy season!
Thanks @C.J. Rogers
Ive gotta say, youve just given me an awesome idea to manage the very invasive weedy privet here in the lower blue mountains NSW. Trying to revert my block back into an endemic native rainforest with a touch of fruit and native food forest mixed into the edges.
I live in a temperate zone, supposedly, 50kms inland, but we definitely have more subtropical aspects. Dry winters, dry and hot spring, and wet summers with most rainfall in March/ April. Whatever zone, I appreciate this information to explain why and when to chop and drop.
I am from North Eastern part of India... I am learning lot from you. Thank you.
Brilliantly done! When i lived in the ca. Bay area, we had three, before the el nino, storm surge moved in. We had full weirs, perennial creeks, streams and wonderfull tulie fog days. The walnut trees planted in the weirs fed and enormous crow flock, and all of us, in the neighborhood. The ducks, cranes, herons, and, even swans. The apts i lived in used to be a horse paddock. There was animal life everywhere.
Thanks...Geoff🌎
That is very helpful for me here in Missouri. Thank you.
Thanks for keeping the conversation going GL
Great question, great answer... Thank you
Hi Geoff
Love the work you are doing and have done,if capitalism was based solely on permaculture and sustainable regeneration, you would be King
It is sad to hear that some of the potential world changing projects and designs you have done,are not implemented,through greed corruption war etc.
I am not the brightest so want to ask silly question.As you just said trees in general need the fungi from decomposed wood etc,do u also compost around trees as well,or is this mix counter productive.
I am glad to see you have not let the bastards get you down,as not taking you're advice and implementing your plan was their loss
Love you
Keep up great work,you really deserve a Nobel prize
Nick Lomas
London England
Hey there,
Forgive me if this is a silly question, I just dont wish to make assumptions.
So the INITIAL pollarding, the initial big cut of your chosen tree, will be at the start of the wet season in tropical/subtropical climates? Roughly around May for myself in Cambodia with the current climate predictions.
It's just during the video you spoke about cutting/chop and dropping your new shoots at the start of your wet season, as opposed to talking about the initial pollarding. Which is what I would like to know when to do!
Thanks,
Mitch
Superb explanation
Hi! What is the difererence, in a temperate continental climate, between chop and drop and just planting a decidious tree that would drop its leaves by itself ?
Thanx, Greetings from Canary Islands, Awesome videos!!!
Is it possible, I wonder, to have the long term support species so dense that there is competition for water/space to uptake water in the dry season? Or is shade always better than room for roots to express themselves?
Here in arizona we have a summer monsoon (with peak temperatures.) Sure there is more water but it evaporates rather fast and it might be cloudy for the one day. by next day it's hot, humid, and may or may not storm again. I don't think this is a good time to do any pruning due to evaporation and heat in spite of the brief higher humidity and occasional cloud. Would it make more sense to do any pollarding and the like around October? we still see some winter rains but it's not nearly as much and not nearly as humid... but the temperatures are also way down.
have you worked with anyone in arizona and already have suggestions? thanks.
Great comment. We are in Az Between Kingman and Bullhead City. Hardly any good rain this season. Growing in summer...wasn't great. Will focus on fall and winter here.
you are correct on your assumptions. Im in tucson and i prune everything late fall, later if its a warmer fall/winter. timing the chop n drop with the slow, cool, winter rains is the way to go.
I am in temperate climate (US zone 7). Pollarding (chop and drop) in the autumn would leave my trees weaken and susceptible to freezing winter weather. I am afraid that a heavy prune (like a pollard) just before the winter freeze could kill the trees. That is why we are told to prune in March when trees are dormant. Which is it?
With fruiting trees this can be a concern, though Geoff is talking about support species. Nitrogen fixers and biomass trees.
Chop and drop vs coppicing are two very different things.
I am going to come take a class in person one day, I love this!
Carmelo Santini I would do the same too
Geoff, when in a climate where deciduous trees drop their leaves, should one always wait until after leaf drop before coppicing? I assume yes, but wondering if it's better to give the trees time to heal before the harsh winter comes...
There seems to be a consensus that they should be cut before breaking dormancy in spring, or late winter. For fruit trees that are winter pruned it is advised to do pruning after the coldest weather of winter has (likely) passed. Less of a consideration in places that only experience light frosts, assuming you aren’t growing any borderline frost tender species.
Another question! Is pollarding suitable for all trees like fruit trees or would you usually just use it on specific trees?
It is for some, like stone fruit and many nut trees. Not sure about apples and pears. To me it seems like a good form to maintain for trees that want to grow too tall to conveniently prune and harvest. If you lose the ability to be able to prune, it is bad news for fruit production and usually health of tree eventually.
That could be applied to when to prune as well
Do you have slug issues where you are?
I'm on the Fraser Coast, QLD, and I feel like we get fairly even amounts of rain through winter and summer. So when do I chop n drop? Confused. Lol
Thank you.
In temperate climates with a cold winter I’d wait to coppice until leaves had fallen, but I could be wrong.
Funny though some trees are not dropping their leaves in the fall time of the year.
True, some hold on a long time. I’ve read before, several times I think, not to prune trees in late summer/early autumn because you don’t want to stimulate new tender growth that won’t have time to harden off before the frost.
so cool man thanks so much
self-note: hmm, more or less (time of more rain than evaporation's corresponding to) the timings of my audio artwork cutting, at first thinkings..
please include subtitles for this video
Talking about seasons in tropical and subtropical regions lol