getting rid of sycamores

[KatherineF]

Hi

We bought a house last year and 4 syacmores growing on the borders just inside the neighbours gardens. They have not been planted, just growing basically as weeds. The previous owner cut them down to the ground and tried to poison the stump, but failed and now 3 have grown up as lots of thin trunks, the tallest about 10-12 foot tall. The other was not cut and is therefore only one trunk

So my questions are - for the single trunk, how low down do I have to ring it to kill it?

For the others - how can I kill them?! Is poisoning the only way, and if so whats the best (legal) one, and how do I apply it?

Thanks Katherine

[Phisherman]

Why ring it? Cut it down 2-3 times a year. After 2 years it should be dead.

I have three "wild" large sycamore trees and enjoy them very much. The trunk bark patterns are interesting especially during the winter months. They don't seem to need any special care and appear to be disease resistant.

[Stewart Robert Hinsley]

In message , Phisherman writes

Depending on where she is, she may be referring to Acer pseudoplatanus, and not to Platanus sp. Your message reads as if it is referring to the latter.

[Sheldon]

Sycamore/planetree are valuable trees... they grow huge so the only legitimate reason for removal is that there isn't enough room.

[KatherineF]

Thanks for your replies, I'll be starting to chop them back this weekend

I don't quite understand why you say sycamores are valuable and should not be got rid of... They are weeds that grow all over where I live. I aim to kill off all the weeds in my garden in order to make it into a place where I can sit and enjoy being out doors and where I can grow plants for food. If I don't get rid of whats there, I can't do this

[Sheldon]

Sycamores are valuable landscape trees, they provide wonderful shade in summer and are quite striking in winter... but they do become immense so you need to have plenty of space for them to grow. Sycamores don't propagate readily from seed nor from runners, are you certain they're sycamores? They grow relatively fast but not so fast that they'd shade a garden within your lifetime. I planted two seedlings five years ago, they were three foot twigs, now they are about ten feet tall but nowhere near mature size... it'll be another

20 years before I'll be able to sit in their shade, and still won't be more than a mere shadow of their future self... I'm sure I won't be around to see them become real trees. No one plants a sycamore for themself, you plant them for your great grands. Unless you have a third acre per tree then yes, move them or remove them.

Sycamores:

[Stewart Robert Hinsley]

She's probably talking about Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore in British English), rather than Platanus sp. (Sycamore in American English). I don't wholly share the negative attitude to the former that's prevalent in certain quarters in Britain, but think of the American attitude to Paulownia, and you'll have an idea.