“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.” — Kahlil Gibran
In reality, what then if their branches get too close to the sky? They can block views which we appreciate as much as we do them.
But still, we should revere old trees; they are nature’s monument to the past.
An example for long-time East London residents are those gnarled old wild fig trees growing down Commercial Road on the way to Builder’s Warehouse.
As testament to how old they are is the story my mother told of my grandfather, Harry Douglas, sent from Scotland in the early 1900s, tasked with installing tramcars in East London.
He saved the trees, she told me, by making a formal objection when authorities wanted to remove the trees growing on the sides of Commercial Road.
Then there are those old trees, too, in the grounds of Queens Park Zoo and the Anne Bryant Art Gallery which have been witness to the history of our town.
And so they should be revered, especially by those given the task of trimming them.
My conclusion of late is that this job should not be entrusted to anyone just because they have a chainsaw.
This brings me to tell of the mournful sight of the recently dismembered old trees, ficus natalensis, bearing long brown beards (aerial roots) falling from its branches, and an old coral tree (erythrina caffra) which once stood proud on the corner of Dolphin Drive and Barracuda Avenue in Chintsa East.
Admittedly they had almost outgrown their bounds but they did deserve more respectful pruning.
Now these sad old trees have lost their dignity, their branches have been butchered to clear the view of the ocean, apparently at the request of a resident.
The actions of the person given this job made it clear that possessing a chainsaw does not qualify one as a tree feller or tree surgeon.
The man climbed a ladder to sever the branches in such a way that below the jagged cuts made, the bark hangs in streamers from the tree.
As long-time Chintsa East resident Cilla Crankshaw, whose father Arthur Dewing planted all the coral trees in the village more than half a century ago, at the same time as the ficus natalensis was planted, said of the old trees, “Sadly, this cruel culling of branches in such a ruthless manner has caused the trees to lose their character, beauty, ability to provide shade and homes for birdlife”.
The man who wielded that chainsaw had no idea how to trim trees and was possibly inspired by the crazy pleasure of watching its branches fall to the ground at random.
No concern was given for where the branches might fall.
I know because, assuming he was from the municipality, (that is before he got to work across the road), we asked him to trim the eugenia tree on the pavement which was blocking the sunlight from our garden.
One branch crashed into the garden after another broke everything in its path.
A frangipani tree, and inca lilies were crushed, a custard apple tree, a budding rose bush, the bougainvillea along the fence, potato bush, obedience plants — there was nothing left “standing” and hardly any plant remained viable after he had felled the branches.
The security camera even came crashing down.
To ensure this does not happen in your neighbourhood or if you decide to do the job yourself, here are a few guidelines to observe for keeping your trees in trim.
Note: It is best to prune trees into shape while they are in their formative years. This is because the cuts of an older tree will be too large for scar tissue to seal them completely.
Method
Before you begin, assess where the fallen branches will land, ensuring they will not damage anything in their path.
Stand back and assess the shape of the tree. Have an idea of the tree’s framework that you wish to maintain to create a fluid movement of the branches through the shape.
Think of each branch as a pipe through which water and nutrients flow. Pruning is a way to divert these nutrients to nourish the branches or trunk that you have selected to form the tree’s desired framework.
Remember that keeping the tree in trim improves its condition and appearance in your garden.
The idea is to remove dense growth which causes congestion in the centre of the tree.
For this to happen, thin out crowded branches, those that crisscross each other as they prevent light and air from circulating around and through the tree’s branches.
Cut the most awkwardly angled branches right back to the tree trunk.
Always remove dead wood and leaves which could become a fire hazard. They also spoil the appearance of the tree.
In stormy weather and strong winds, they could break off and damage your garden or injure someone.
Getting rid of a diseased branch prevents infection spreading to the healthier parts of the tree.
Always ensure you wash the pruning equipment’s blades in disinfectant before you use the tool again on healthy branches.
Cut them back to a healthy branch or to be flush with the tree trunk.
Here’s how to do it.
The correct pruning cuts are those which should be first done underneath the branch and then on top closer to the trunk or main stem.
1. Make the first cut under the branch to a depth of a quarter to a third of the branch thickness. The reason for this is that it prevents the branch from tearing the bark underneath the upper cut when it falls.
2. Then, cut the branch on its upper side to release it, making sure that this upper cut is about 5cm closer to the main stem than the undercut is. Note that the final cut from the top of the branch is made close to the main stem, leaving no dead wood through which diseases and pests can gain access to the tree.
3. As soon as the branch has been removed apply a sealer, a bitumen or PVC-based roof sealer, to seal off the cut edge.
After removing the debris, the tree should be watered after pruning it, especially in dry weather as it will be stressed from losing foliage.
Then water seven to 10 days after this to hydrate the tree and encourage growth in the remaining foliage.
Daily Dispatch
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