Hi All,

I live in a rented house which until recently had a lovely 12ft Elderflower tree growing at the bottom of the garden - that was until the landlord decided that it was overgrown and needed to be pruned. Fair enough I thought, until to my horror when I came home from work one day last week to find the tree has been chopped back to nothing more than a stump.

The tree is now 'leaking' what I presume to be watery sap (quite copiusly) from the trunk/branches where it has been cut. I'm unsure what I should do as I have read somewhere that a tree 'sealant' should be painted on the tree to stop it bleeding and defend against disease - though the RHS website states they no longer advise using sealants or bandaging, so I don't know whether I should just leave the tree to heal naturally, but I am worried that if don't do anything it might die.

Please help.

Jungle Jake

On 05/19/2012 03:04 PM, Jungle Jake wrote:
Hi All,

I live in a rented house which until recently had a lovely 12ft
Elderflower tree growing at the bottom of the garden - that was until
the landlord decided that it was overgrown and needed to be pruned. Fair
enough I thought, until to my horror when I came home from work one day
last week to find the tree has been chopped back to nothing more than a
stump.

The tree is now 'leaking' what I presume to be watery sap (quite
copiusly) from the trunk/branches where it has been cut. I'm unsure what
I should do as I have read somewhere that a tree 'sealant' should be
painted on the tree to stop it bleeding and defend against disease -
though the RHS website states they no longer advise using sealants or
bandaging, so I don't know whether I should just leave the tree to heal
naturally, but I am worried that if don't do anything it might die.

Please help.

Jungle Jake


Don't worry. Practically impossible to kill. It will now put out 3
meter shoots in all directions and look really untidy. Shame really,
but you could do some formative pruning as it goes.

Don't try to paint any sealant, just let it dry out on its own. It'll
be fine soon enough.

In article ,
Emery Davis wrote:
On 05/19/2012 03:04 PM, Jungle Jake wrote:

I live in a rented house which until recently had a lovely 12ft
Elderflower tree growing at the bottom of the garden - that was until
the landlord decided that it was overgrown and needed to be pruned. Fair
enough I thought, until to my horror when I came home from work one day
last week to find the tree has been chopped back to nothing more than a
stump.

The tree is now 'leaking' what I presume to be watery sap (quite
copiusly) from the trunk/branches where it has been cut. I'm unsure what
I should do as I have read somewhere that a tree 'sealant' should be
painted on the tree to stop it bleeding and defend against disease -
though the RHS website states they no longer advise using sealants or
bandaging, so I don't know whether I should just leave the tree to heal
naturally, but I am worried that if don't do anything it might die.

Don't worry. Practically impossible to kill. It will now put out 3
meter shoots in all directions and look really untidy. Shame really,
but you could do some formative pruning as it goes.

Don't try to paint any sealant, just let it dry out on its own. It'll
be fine soon enough.

And considerably more out of control :-) Elder often isn't very
long-lived, anyway, because it seeds readily and grows like the
clappers as soon as it gets going. The most annoying thing will
be the loss of this year's flowers.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On May 19, 2:04*pm, Jungle Jake
wrote:
Hi All,

I live in a rented house which until recently had a lovely 12ft
Elderflower tree growing at the bottom of the garden - that was until
the landlord decided that it was overgrown and needed to be pruned. Fair
enough I thought, until to my horror when I came home from work one day
last week to find the tree has been chopped back to nothing more than a
stump.

The tree is now 'leaking' what I presume to be watery sap (quite
copiusly) from the trunk/branches where it has been cut. I'm unsure what
I should do as I have read somewhere that a tree 'sealant' should be
painted on the tree to stop it bleeding and defend against disease -
though the RHS website states they no longer advise using sealants or
bandaging, so I don't know whether I should just leave the tree to heal
naturally, but I am worried that if don't do anything it might die.

Please help.

Jungle Jake

--
Jungle Jake

Don't worry it will grow again with a vengence.

Hi Jungle Jake,

Sorry to hear about the loss of your elder tree! Elder is a pretty tough plant though, and i suspect it will probably start to regrow from the stump, despite it being butchered like that. The sap should stop rising over the next few days, and in time new buds will start to appear and grow. Luckily, the weather at the moment is so cool, the plant is unlikely to be too stressed by this, but if it warms up you can also give it some water and a feed of a nitrogen based fertiliser to help out. Any new growth won't flower or fruit this year as it flowers on last years wood. Seems a very unnecessary thing to do to a tree that is at the end of the garden - i only hope your landlord is as zealous with all aspects of property maintenance!

On 19/05/2012 14:04, Jungle Jake wrote:
Hi All,

I live in a rented house which until recently had a lovely 12ft
Elderflower tree growing at the bottom of the garden - that was until
the landlord decided that it was overgrown and needed to be pruned. Fair
enough I thought, until to my horror when I came home from work one day
last week to find the tree has been chopped back to nothing more than a
stump.

Don't worry it will quickly regrow although a lot of it will be fast
sappy growth and rather boring looking. Part of the charm of an elder
are the old gnarled branches..

The tree is now 'leaking' what I presume to be watery sap (quite
copiusly) from the trunk/branches where it has been cut. I'm unsure what
I should do as I have read somewhere that a tree 'sealant' should be
painted on the tree to stop it bleeding and defend against disease -
though the RHS website states they no longer advise using sealants or
bandaging, so I don't know whether I should just leave the tree to heal
naturally, but I am worried that if don't do anything it might die.

Please help.

Jungle Jake

There is no need to do anything as elder is tough as old boots.

Shame the tree wasn't tidied up a bit more sympathetically though. Still
on the plus side you can hang washing out without getting the birds
practising dive bombing with purple bombs!

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Mon, 21 May 2012 13:32:54 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

There is no need to do anything as elder is tough as old boots.

Does elder do a willow? ie hack a growing stem off and push it in the
ground to get a new tree.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 21/05/2012 15:04, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 21 May 2012 13:32:54 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

There is no need to do anything as elder is tough as old boots.

Does elder do a willow? ie hack a growing stem off and push it in the
ground to get a new tree.

I expect it very well might do, but it is a lot more rigid and so not
amenable to weaving as a living fence. I have never been tempted as I
spend enough time pulling out seedlings from our ~5m tree.

I also have the black cultivar with pinnate foliage but the cows eat
most of that down again almost as fast as it grows.

Incidentally elderflower champagne and wine are worth doing, elderberry
wine makes good drain cleaner but may take the finish off chrome!

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Yorkshire Country Wines do a very good elderberry.
Traditional Natural Fruit Wines - Yorkshire Country Wines

So it is possible!

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 21/05/2012 15:04, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Mon, 21 May 2012 13:32:54 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

There is no need to do anything as elder is tough as old boots.

Does elder do a willow? ie hack a growing stem off and push it in the
ground to get a new tree.

I expect it very well might do, but it is a lot more rigid and so not
amenable to weaving as a living fence. I have never been tempted as I
spend enough time pulling out seedlings from our ~5m tree.

I also have the black cultivar with pinnate foliage but the cows eat most
of that down again almost as fast as it grows.

Incidentally elderflower champagne and wine are worth doing, elderberry
wine makes good drain cleaner but may take the finish off chrome!


Elderberries and red grape concentrate together make a very robust red wine
which can be converted into a passable ersatz Port with a little cheap
brandy.

IIRC traditional proper Port used to be bulked out with elderberries in the
years when the grapes were poor.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In article ,
David WE Roberts wrote:

Elderberries and red grape concentrate together make a very robust red wine
which can be converted into a passable ersatz Port with a little cheap
brandy.

Life is too short to drink bad wine!

IIRC traditional proper Port used to be bulked out with elderberries in the
years when the grapes were poor.

Not really. Elderberries make a very 'thin' wine, and were used
far more for colouring - indeed, I have seen them listed as
colouring agents in some modern foods or drinks. You can use them
for the same purpose yourself, though few people do nowadays - they
are a completely harmless and effective dark red colouring agent.

Elderberries and red grape concentrate would make a reasonable
plonk, but it is the latter which would give the wine its body.
Elderberries would also add tannin and similar flavours, if the
grape concentrate lacks those.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

wrote in message ...

In article ,
David WE Roberts wrote:

Elderberries and red grape concentrate together make a very robust red wine
which can be converted into a passable ersatz Port with a little cheap
brandy.

/Life is too short to drink bad wine!

IIRC traditional proper Port used to be bulked out with elderberries in the
years when the grapes were poor.

/Not really. Elderberries make a very 'thin' wine, and were used
/far more for colouring - indeed, I have seen them listed as
/colouring agents in some modern foods or drinks. You can use them
/for the same purpose yourself, though few people do nowadays - they
/are a completely harmless and effective dark red colouring agent.
/
/Elderberries and red grape concentrate would make a reasonable
/plonk, but it is the latter which would give the wine its body.
/Elderberries would also add tannin and similar flavours, if the
/grape concentrate lacks those.

I've got both the 'nigra' and 'aurea' varieties. Handy if you can get a
couple of other allotment holders to split the cost. Buying from a Hedging
Company is the cheapest way. Hope to have fruit and elderberry port next
year.

"Jungle Jake" wrote in message
...

Hi All,

I live in a rented house which until recently had a lovely 12ft
Elderflower tree growing at the bottom of the garden - that was until
the landlord decided that it was overgrown and needed to be pruned. Fair
enough I thought, until to my horror when I came home from work one day
last week to find the tree has been chopped back to nothing more than a
stump.

The tree is now 'leaking' what I presume to be watery sap (quite
copiusly) from the trunk/branches where it has been cut. I'm unsure what
I should do as I have read somewhere that a tree 'sealant' should be
painted on the tree to stop it bleeding and defend against disease -
though the RHS website states they no longer advise using sealants or
bandaging, so I don't know whether I should just leave the tree to heal
naturally, but I am worried that if don't do anything it might die.

Please help.

Jungle Jake



It's almost impossible to kill elders.
I had a problem with subsidence and every one that was near was cut down and
poisoned by having its trunk cut down.

On Mon, 21 May 2012 15:44:42 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

Does elder do a willow? ie hack a growing stem off and push it in
the
ground to get a new tree.

I expect it very well might do, but it is a lot more rigid and so not
amenable to weaving as a living fence.

Not interested in a living fence just think that it would be nice to
have a elder or three in the paddock. Will have to check if it will
tolerate the climate up here though.

Thinking that if it will take from a twig next time I pass one I'll
take a few cuttings and stick 'em in the ground or pot.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Mon, 21 May 2012 15:44:42 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

Does elder do a willow? ie hack a growing stem off and push it in
the
ground to get a new tree.

I expect it very well might do, but it is a lot more rigid and so not
amenable to weaving as a living fence.

Not interested in a living fence just think that it would be nice to
have a elder or three in the paddock. Will have to check if it will
tolerate the climate up here though.

Thinking that if it will take from a twig next time I pass one I'll
take a few cuttings and stick 'em in the ground or pot.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Do Elders just after flowering, discard the soft tips then use the stems
nodally, they seem to root quite easily but some won't make it through the
winter.


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk