Maintaining a healthy landscape sometimes means cutting down trees.
I always feel badly when trees are cut down. Trees are extremely important to our environment - they are the world’s single largest source of breathable oxygen, they absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gasses, and they create an ecosystem to provide needed habitat and food for birds and other animals. However, trees do not live forever, and occasionally they need to be removed. Last week, one of my American Beech trees lost some branches in a storm, but this tree was also sick and dying of disease, so it had to come down.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
The American beech tree is considered both a shade tree and an ornamental tree. They can grow to a height of 50 to 70 feet and a spread of around 40 feet at maturity. This American beech tree, located in my American beech tree grove near my Boxwood Allee, has not been looking good for some time. It is has been suffering from the beech leaf disease that is spreading rapidly through the Northeast killing both mature American beeches and saplings. Look how bare it is – healthy beech trees would be filled with leaves this time of year.
A few of the branches were also damaged in a recent storm, so I instructed my outdoor grounds crew to take the entire tree down.
Pasang is our resident arborist. He is very strong and very skilled at taking down many of the smaller trees around the farm. Here, he begins with some of the smaller branches closer to the ground.
As all the branches are cut, they are neatly placed in piles, so they are easy to remove later.
Pasang then starts on some of the higher branches – always securing himself to the tree with the proper safety equipment.
Each long section of tree is cut by chainsaw. This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than a foot to about 24-inches per year.
And one by one, the branches fall to the ground.
Pasang stops for a quick photo. It’s a warm day at the farm, but we’ve made it through last week’s heat wave. Temperatures this week are only expected in the 80s.
Here, one can see what the leaf disease does to the leaves. It causes parts of leaves to turn leathery and withered and then kills a tree within six to 10 years.
In the light, the leaves also show bands – a clear sign of the beech leaf disease. An invasive nematode is believed to be responsible for this disease. The microscopic worms are present in the leaves and buds of infected beech trees.
The bark of the American beech is gray and mostly smooth. American beech is often found on moist slopes, in ravines, and atop moist hammocks.
Here is a pile of thicker branches waiting to be discarded. Because the tree is diseased, we cannot save any of the cut lumber – the entire tree will be thrown away.
Here’s a pile of smaller branches also neatly piled nearby.
Pasang works one section at a time, working his way from the highest point cutting branches and carefully moving down to the ground.
Here he is close to the base of the tree. Almost all the upper branches are now cut off.
Here is a look at the wood of the tree. Beech is a hard, strong, and close-grained wood.
Pasang cuts some of the fallen branches into smaller, manageable pieces. He is using his favorite tool – a STIHL in-tree gas-powered chainsaw. It is lightweight and easy to use when up in the trees.
And here is the beech tree once it has been emptied of all its top branches – now only the trunk remains.
Here is the site after the trunk is cut down. It is always sad to see trees go, but this tree was in poor condition and would have likely succumbed to the disease. It had to come down.
This remaining stump and the roots will also be removed, so a new tree can be planted in its place.
My outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring, hauls some of the tree branches away to be discarded.
Thanks Pasang for taking down the tree. Pasang takes each section to its designated pile. Another big outdoor project done and checked off our list.
My handsome Fell Pony, Banchunch, is enjoying his new shoes.
All my horses get new shoes every four to six weeks. Made of metal or sometimes rubber or other materials, horseshoes are designed to protect the horse’s hooves from wear. Every shoe must be fitted properly in order to prevent mobility issues from developing. The horseshoes usually remain on the animal's hooves until the farrier returns to change them, but occasionally a horse will throw a shoe during a ride or just out in the paddock. That's exactly what happened to Banchunch - he threw one of his front shoes, so we called in the farrier, Marc Hill, to come for a visit.
Enjoy these photos.
A farrier always has his or her box of important tools. When we see this in the stable, we know our farrier is not far away. Among the implements needed to change horseshoes are the pullers, a clinch cutter, a brush, and a rasp.
Banchunch threw a shoe the night before while out in the pasture. When this happens it’s important to call in the farrier to replace it quickly. Here’s Banchunch waiting for the farrier, Marc Hill, to start the process.
Banchunch has sensitive hooves, so he wears glue-on shoes. Here, Marc uses old tube socks to protect the feathering on his legs from getting any glue on them. The hoof on left is missing a shoe.
Next, Marc uses a rasp, or a horse-sized file, to flatten and level the hoof and remove any uneven spots. Hooves grow continuously, so filing the surface when re-shoeing is important for maintaining the horse’s foot balance and gait.
This is a hoof buffer attachment for a drill. It quickly removes any marks, rings, or gouges on the hoof wall and helps to prep the hoof for the glue-on shoe.
Rubber glue-on horseshoes absorb shock and vibration. They are applied with a two-part epoxy adhesive that is made specifically for the equine foot.
A well-fitted horseshoe should align well with the edge of the hoof. Marc pulls one out to try on Banchunch.
Marc places the new shoe under Banchunch’s foot and assesses where adjustments are needed.
These shoes are pretty flexible and easy to shape for a proper fit.
The hoof must be perfectly smooth for the adhesive to work, so Marc goes over the hoof again with a sanding block to create a clean gluing surface.
My donkeys are so curious. Clive and Truman “TJ” Junior turn their heads to see what all the commotion is about. Most donkeys do not wear shoes, but they do need their hooves trimmed and filed regularly.
Once the shoe is put on, Marc picks the hoof up and wraps it with plastic stretch wrap so the new shoe is tight against the hoof wall.
The wrap holds the shoe in place while the glue is curing. It doesn’t take long for the adhesive to start setting – the wrap is removed after about 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, Banchunch’s other front hoof is lifted onto a hoof jack, so Marc can remove the other shoe.
Then he cleans the bottom of the hoof and removes any debris. Downward strokes from heel to toe are always recommended. Marc is careful around the frog, the triangular portion in the middle of the hoof, which is very sensitive.
Here, Banchunch’s left foot is wrapped and the right is unwrapped and ready for any touch-ups.
Marc traces the edges of the shoe with more glue to help seal the shoe rims in place.
Marc adds a bit more glue on the other hoof. The glue is made using some of the same additives as dental adhesives for humans.
And that’s it – Banchunch is all done. New shoes that will last another six weeks.
The shoes still need a little more time to set, so Banchunch is secured for a good grooming.
Once done, my darling Fell pony is now ready for a good rest. See you soon, my handsome Banchunch.
Here in Bedford, New York, it's going to be another hot, humid, dry weekend with temperatures in the 90s. Despite the uncomfortable summer weather, everyone is doing what they can to maintain the many gardens, groves, allées, and espaliers.
This time of year, everyone is weeding, watering, and pruning. When it comes to pruning, there are different strategies for different times of the year, but overall the goals are the same - to control the shape, to keep bushes and trees fresh and open, and to allow for better air circulation through the center of the specimen. My outdoor grounds crew has already pruned the sculpted hornbeam hedges near my main greenhouse and Winter House as well as the large European beech hedge surrounding my pool. Next, the team tackled the apple espaliers and lilac standards behind my long carport.
Enjoy these photos. And be sure to check out my TikTok @MarthaStewart to see me pruning the Asian pear espalier by my stable!
When I first moved to Bedford, I found a perfect location to plant a little orchard of espalier apple trees – this space behind my long carport not far from my Winter House. Espalier refers to an ancient technique, resulting in trees that grow flat, either against a wall, or along a wire-strung framework.
These espalier apples have done wonderfully here. They’re supported on wire attached to strong antique granite posts from China originally used as grape supports. There are four rows of espaliered apples.
Here are some of the many apples already growing. The apple tree is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. I have many different varieties growing at my farm. During a good apple season, my granddaughter Jude and I make lots and lots of cider.
The leaves of apple trees are ovate and dark green with asymmetrical leaf bases. The leaf margins are curved and serrated.
Here’s Phurba working from the top – one can see all the new growth that needs trimming.
When he prunes, Phurba cuts branches at a 45 to 60 degree angle. He is also using pruners for this job. I always prefer hand tools that will give my trees a more natural appearance and shape. Every gardener and member of my outdoor grounds crew has a pair.
Chhiring works from the ground – it’s very hot out, so an umbrella provides some good shade. Pruning encourages the tree to grow fruiting spurs by eliminating competing suckers and unproductive wood.
As with any pruning project, it’s important to cut the three “Ds” – dead, diseased, and damaged branches. He also cuts any suckers which helps to keep the tree healthy and directs energy to the branches with fruiting buds.
The final cut on each unwanted bough needs to be alongside the “branch collar”, where the branch intersects with another. Growth cells concentrate in these nodes, causing fast bark regrowth which seals the cuts.
The job takes a couple days to complete, but it is done carefully and thoughtfully. Look at all the cut branches from just one row of dwarf apple trees.
Here are more apples growing – I am hoping for a bountiful fruit season this fall.
Chhiring uses my Stainless Steel Multi-Purpose Folding Pruning Saw available at Martha.com. The 8-inch blade, crafted from Japanese stainless steel, features a strong cross-cutting design for sawing in both directions. I always make sure my crew gets to use and test the products I design.
Here, Chhiring cuts branches that are rubbing or crisscrossing each other, preventing any healthy new growth. Basically, the goal is to create a tree with well spaced lateral branches. Any branches which interfere with the tree’s shape or create a dense framework should be removed.
Chhiring also focuses on removing crowded branches to help let in light and promote good air circulation.
From the carriage road, one can see the pruned trees in the front and the area still to be pruned in the back. My long carport is behind the espaliered apple trees. I hang a series of bird feeders along this side of the carport for all the visiting birds – about 125 different species of birds visit my feeders.
There is a lot of pruning to do on these trees – they are healthy and have produced a lot of growth in the last six months. Phurba works from the ground to get under a bit of shade. This day’s temperatures hit 94-degrees Fahrenheit.
By this day’s end, every row is cut just right – here’s a view from the top. I am so proud of how productive these trees are – in part because of the excellent maintenance care we give them.
And here’s a view from the side. It looks much better now after pruning.
These are the leaves of my ‘Miss Kim’ lilac standards. Lilac leaves feature smooth, hairless, heart-shaped leaves.
In front of the apple espalier, I have several ‘Miss Kim’ lilac standards lining the edge of the carriage road. Phurba did a great job pruning these also. ‘Miss Kim’ is one of the first dwarf cultivars. It was originated from seeds imported from South Korea. In spring, these trees feature long panicles of sweetly scented lavender blooms that burst from purple buds. I am so glad the gardens are looking beautiful this year – everyone is working hard. Now, if we could just get some more rain!!
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