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Broadback · 18-09-2007, 04:12 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

K wrote:
writes
I wonder if anyone who has any experience with elder trees could
kindly give me some advice? Unfortunately, my botanical and
horticultural knowledge is very poor, and my neighbour has asked that
I help her cut down a trio of 15ft high elder trees that she says is
killing a neighbouring cherry tree (by taking up all the nutrients) in
a small area that we share with a number of houses. Is this a common
problem with elder trees, and is it necessary to cut down them down,
or is there an alternative solution? I am, quite happy to cut them
down, but since its not a minor operation, I thought I should check
first.

4 trees in a small area are going to compete for water, light and
nutrients - no matter what species they are. If one tree is losing out
in the competition and that tree is important to you, then it makes
sense to remove some of the competitors. How close together are these
trees?

Neither cherry nor elderberry are particularly long-lived.

If it's a shared area, then the decision of which tree should be removed
should be reached by mutual agreement. If you all decide the cherry is
the most important, you could start by taking out just one of the
elderberries and see if that improves matters. Or you could cut them
back severely, especially if they are already throwing new branches from
the bottom.

You should also check that the cherry is not diseased - it would be
irritating to remove all the elderberries only to have the cherry tree
die anyway.
First ensure that they do not have a preservation order on them, it may
prove expensive for you if there is. As previously written they sprout
like mad from their stumps. I have a number taken down (electricity
board insisted), as they could not access with a root grinder they made
fairly deep cuts vertically down the stumps then poured a killer (don't
know what) over the stumps. that has killed them and not affected the
land around.