By Azezal
United Kingdom 
Hybrid pollarded willows growing suckers. I've planted some willows last year and in their first growing season reduced size to desired height I want the stump last winter. These trees are for firewood pollard 4 year rotation. I do not want to coppice them which would mean cutting them to ground every four years. So i'd like to know. Should I let these suckers that are growing next to stump grow until it is time to cut to desired height in four years? Will they become part of the stump or will I be left with several stumps growing next to each other? I read that cutting the suckers down will just make more of them. So how do u create a neat pollard stump, if you already have suckers growing next to it? Replacing the willows with a longer cane is not an option. Thanks for advice.
4 Oct, 2015
Previous question
« should l cut the leaves off from my strawberries and if so, when please?
I suspect that you have attempted the pollarding on too young a plant, putting it into distress which has meant that it is reproducing itself by throwing up new shoots.
Pollarding is only a version of coppicing - done at height rather than ground level.
4 Oct, 2015