Lime Tree: Shoots around base of tree.

[Dinarius]

We are based in Dublin, Ireland.

We have a pair of mature lime trees at the end of our garden.

Both trees have a vigorous growth of shoots, about 6-8 feet tall around the base.

We want to construct a wooden fence near one of the trees. We have bee told that if we cut back the shoots, in order to erect the fence a bi nearer to the tree, they will just grow back more vigourously.

We have also been told that if we erect the fence without cutting bac the shoots, but erect it as near as possible to the shoots that;

a. It will be difficult to maintain the fence (self evident, suppose!)

b. Moisture from the shoots and the tree itself, particularly afte rain, will only serve to keep the fence damp and greatly shorten its life The fence faces due North on the tree side, so drying/airing the fenc would be a bit problematical if it is very close to the tree.

The only thing against this is that the guy erecting the fence claim that the wood is pressure treated and virtually immune to weather damage.

There is no question of adversely affecting the tree in any way, bu there is a bit of an issue with neighbours about the line of the fence. Th closer it is to the tree, the more ground they will have on their (Sout facing) side.

If we could persuade our neighbours to run the fence, say, 2 feet fro the shoots, would they grow out to it anyway? Or do they tend to achieve critical mass and stay they way they are?

Any views?

Thanks.

D

-- Dinarius

[Wolf Kirchmeir]

[...]

A fence made of pressure treated lumber will outlast you. :-)

Whether you want the volunteers there or not is a matter of taste. Just do what you want with them. Under Common Law, your neighbour is entitled to cut back any shoots that grow on his property, but he is not entitled to use any tree-killing herbicide on them.

[bamboo]

When you remove young suckers the idea is to pull them off with a small piece of the heel attached because it contains many undeveloped bud cells for new suckers. When you remove these larger suckers you will most likely have to cut them off close to flush, any new suckers that this stimulates can be easily rubbed off with your thumb before the tissue hardens. (Providing you pay attention)

[Dinarius]

Many thanks.

I should have explained that the property is commonage, which m neighbour and I are dividing between. However, the two limes trees ar indisbutably on what will be our half of the ground. My neighbour ha no problem with this. My only concern is for the tree, first an foremost, and for my ability to preserve/maintain the fence.

I was hoping to be able to argue that it was necessary to keep th fence a little bit clear of the lime tree shoots. If I understand yo both correctly, this isn't so?

Thanks.

D

-- Dinarius

[presley]