Ludii arbori — arboriculture, certified arborist in Belgium (Brussels & Flanders) and France (la Nièvre).
Feel free to contact us for advice on managing your trees or information regarding pruning and felling works, tree species selection, planting, or site assessment and improvement.
Services
Tree care starts with the right advice to achieve a result that is good for the tree and to the liking of those who admire it. To find out what is possible and what is not, it is best to get in touch, so we can look at potential measures and their costs.
- Maintenance, formative, and fruit pruning
- Disease, infestation, or cavities
- Pollarded trees & coppice management
- Growth site improvement
- Crown bracing
- Felling and dismantling
- Storm damage
- Planting trees and hedges
— Turkey oak (Quercus cerris)
How and at what time of year a tree should be pruned depends on the tree species and the desired result. When pruning, surrounding plants or buildings are always taken into account, using adapted rigging techniques to lower branches or parts of the tree safely to avoid damage.
Maintenance pruning
A branch rubbing against a window or 'top-heavy branches' that pose a risk of breaking off are just two examples of what usually falls under maintenance pruning. This pruning is carried out during the growing season, between June and October, so that the tree can actively seal these pruning wounds against diseases and pests and avoid reactive growth. Removing deadwood is also part of this type of pruning.
Formative pruning
A newly planted tree is pruned for the first time once it has established clear root growth, usually 2 or 3 years after planting. To guide this tree towards its intended final form, we prune young trees. The desired final appearance can vary greatly; an isolated tree may have branches reaching the ground, while trees along an avenue need to be 'crown lifted' to allow traffic to pass. 'Problem branches' are also removed in a timely manner at this stage; these are branches that could complicate the final form over time or even compromise the safety of the tree.
Fruit pruning
Unlike other trees, it is necessary to periodically prune (some) fruit trees. For example, apple and pear trees require an airy canopy to produce good fruit without developing diseases or pests. Fruit pruning can be carried out in winter or summer, depending on the requirements.
Potential “defects”
The presence of cavities or the fruiting body of a fungal infection does not mean you need to panic immediately. However, it is important to identify the infestation to rule out potential safety or health risks.
Tree safety inspection and inventory
If you have trees with a defect, disease, or fungus, a tree safety inspection (Visual Tree Assessment) can investigate the future prospects of the trees. This looks at condition, potential defects, weaknesses, and risks, and proposes the necessary measures.
For larger tree populations or planned construction works near trees, a tree inventory is the first step. During the inventory, each tree is individually marked on site, and a tree safety inspection is performed for each one. This gives you a clear overview of the diversity of your tree population, making its management and preservation clear, more efficient, and consequently more cost-effective.
Stability testing (Pulling test)
Due to carelessness or ignorance, the growing site of trees is often severely disrupted by heavy machinery or excavation work. Damaging structural roots can cause infections that endanger the future and stability of the tree. To check the stability of the tree, especially in high-risk locations such as next to a house or road, we carry out a pulling test.
During a pulling test, sensors are placed on the trunk and root flare, and force is exerted on the tree using a steel cable. The collected data is then extrapolated and analysed to gain an insight into the tree's stability under severe wind conditions. If there is any doubt about stability, a pulling test can often help to preserve the tree and find appropriate measures for it.
Pollarding and coppice management have a long tradition and they remain a part of our landscape. With pollarding, the tree is periodically cut back to the main trunk at a certain height, often around 2 metres. Coppice management is very similar, but the tree is cut back to just above ground level. Both pollarding and coppicing are and were primarily used for wood production. For example, oak in coppice management was long grown to use its bark as a tanning agent for leather or for dying textile.
— Pollarded Linden tree (Tilia x europaea)
A variation of pollarding can take the shape of a candelabra, where structural branches higher up in the tree are pollarded. This is an acceptable management method, particularly in locations with limited space (narrow streets), but it is often done indiscriminately to mature trees because 'the tree is getting too big'. Reducing a mature tree in this manner, resulting in very large pruning wounds, only results in an unsafe and unhealthy tree and is not an acceptable method.
Growth site improvement
In many cases, trees in a garden are surrounded by lawn, the compaction and depletion of the soil due to mowing management and foot traffic can eventually lead to problems, such as a decline in the tree's condition. Poor drainage or soil structure can also cause issues like root rot or nutrient deficiency.
During a site improvement, we analyse the soil structure by taking a core sample and studying it visually. The subsequent measures we can take vary, but generally they always come down to restoring a natural cycle. The growing site is altered so that fallen leaves and any deadwood can remain in place, the lawn is mowed less frequently, or it makes way for perennials and spring-flowering bulbs.
A site improvement is not only beneficial for the tree, it often also brings more biodiversity and colour to the garden.
— Dynamic crown bracing in a Southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides)
For various reasons, it may be necessary to brace certain parts of a tree's crown. This can prevent branch failure and potential damage. Crown bracing is almost always combined with pruning to reduce wind and weight loads on the fragile section. The type of bracing required must always be assessed on site, depending on the defect in the tree, the surroundings, and any potential damage its failure could cause to the tree and its environment. In this situation, it is advisable to get in touch via email with photos of the tree, both from a distance and close up.
Installing crown bracing must always be carefully considered, but it can guarantee and extend the lifespan of trees. In many cases, installing crown bracing is a minor, cost-effective intervention considering the results achieved.
— Thinning in a forest in Tuscany
If the tree poses a safety risk or needs to be removed for another reason, it can be felled. In most cases, tree felling requires a permit, depending on the size and location of the tree. For information regarding permit requirements or the necessity of felling, you can always contact me by phone or email.
— Dismantling a Silver fir (Abies alba)
Felling or dismantling?
When a tree can fall completely in a certain direction —for example, in a forest or a large garden— we can fell the tree. In more complex situations where this is not possible, we take the tree down section by section; this is referred to as dismantling. If there are immovable obstacles beneath the tree, we use ropes to lower each section safely, ensuring nothing falls uncontrollably.
If there is damage to your trees or concern about them after a storm or heavy winds, feel free to contact me. To prevent damage, maintenance pruning may be required to lighten branches prone to breaking and reduce the risk of failure. If damage has already occurred, after clearing it up if necessary, we can assess its impact on the tree's future and see if any additional measures are needed.
The choice of the right tree species depends heavily on the growing site, soil type, and moisture levels. Based on these environmental factors, various tree species can be proposed. Choosing the correct tree species is crucial to enjoying a tree that is healthy, beautiful, and safe in the long term.
Info
Ludii arbori (Victor Van Wassenhove)
Chaussée de Bruxelles 295 — 1190 Forest (Belgique)
VAT: BE0741.871.737
EMAIL: info@ludii-arbori.com
TEL: +32 492 82 64 06