Pruning a silver birch

We planted a silver birch last year. It's about 9-10ft tall now. It has one main, central top branch which is really getting blown about in the wind and I wondred if it might be best to cut if off?
Would this be OK and might it encourage some bushier growth below?

 

A silver birch is a tree rather than a shrub, - its being effected by wind, make sure that the stem is supported by a diagnoal stake.

Not sure what you are wanting to do - are you wanting it to be more of a shrub, or are you just concerned about wind damage.

 

I have one about 50 feet and the top gets blown about. If you want a silver birch then surely you want it for the white bark on a tall slenderish tree with drooping branches.Cutting off the top would change the natural shape of the tree. The only way I prune mine is I have cut some of the lower branches off to allow some light lower down. They do grow fast and in a few years time you have a tree higher than the roof - less than 10 years.
In fact I prefer to plant them as very small and cheap whips. I find they grow as they should grow in the wild. Many that are planted as older trees from pots seem more dumpy and don't have the slim graceful beauty of the wild trees.
If you don't want a tall tree then i would suggest you saw off at ground level and plant something more in keeping. Silver birch really do look ugly when sawn off and you would be better cutting your losses and getting something that does not get as big.

 

Also once the sap is rising, cutting would leave the tree to bleed to death. Pruning of birch should always be dome when the tree is dormant. Also it is better for a tree to be allowed to flex in the wind. It strengthens both the root system and the stem.

 

Thanks all. I just didn't want it to end up growing distorted that was all. We cut down 2 dreadfully wonky trees which were far too big for the garden when we moved in-I don't want to end up with another! lol
There's a support of about 1.5m at the bottom, so that bit is stable, but I can already see a kink in the stem. I'll take a pic later...

 

Finally got round to taking a pic http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.kirk/silverbirch.jpg This was taken when there wasn't even any wind blowing, and it's still hanging over like that. What do you think?

 

It isn't a very thick trunk, certainly it doesn't appear to be supporting the top of the tree at the moment. However, the trunk will grow and the tree should right itself in time. If you are worried then you could fasten a support to the wall. I hope it isn't a house wall, I'm not sure how big the roots grow on a silver birch.

 

No, it's a kind of workshop at the bottom of the garden on the next street.
We saw an uprooted silver birch and the rootball was incredibly small for the size of the tree.

 

I can't see anything wrong with the shape of the tree. Silver birch has naturally pendulous branches. You don't want a thick trunk, otherwise it will look dumpy as I described in a previous post.
This is my tree, 20 years old, planted as a whip.

I reckon it is over 50 feet high. I don't think your tree will be able to develop properly that close to the wall. The wall is going to intrude on the crown of the tree and I think that as it gets older it is likely to cause the tree to lean away from the building.
I am not sure about likely damage from tree roots. Birch do have quite extensive shallow rooting systems. You should be aware that if they damage the wall or foundations of that building then you as the owner of that tree will be liable for any damage. Personally i would not plant what is going to be a large, quick growing, tree so close to a building.

 

Agree with Geoff - that's how silver Birches are - the hang over! Don't worry about it, just enjoy it. If the height it'll get to fairly quickly is an issue for your garden, then I'd agree with Geoff again - get rid of it now, and get something that suits your circumstances better, sooner than later! :D

 

Thanks for the reassurance, I'll leave it be then.
When we moved in, there was a lilac tree closer to the wall than the silver birch and a huge ash equally close to the wall on the other side of the garden.
They didn't cause any problems and the building is derelict anyway, so I think I'll risk it