Laura, I’m sure this is a situation where it feels like you don’t have a great option either way. What Is An Arborist: Tips For Choosing An Arborist, Fruit And Vegetable Peel Uses – Interesting Uses For Old Peels, Cherry Tree Pruning: How And When To Trim A Cherry Tree, How To Garden Like Monet – What We Can Learn From Monet’s Garden, Early American Vegetables - Growing Native American Vegetables, History Of Red Poppies – Why Red Poppy For Remembrance, Heading Cuts In Pruning: Learn About Heading Back Plant Branches, About Epidendrum Orchid Plants: Information On Epidendrum Orchid Care, Uprooted Plant Damage: Dealing With Uprooted Plants, What Is Flame Weeding: Information On Flame Weeding In Gardens, Iris Flower History – Where Did Iris Originate, Aloe Plant History – Interesting Facts And History Of Aloe Vera, Indian Turnip History: Jack-In-The-Pulpit Folklore And Origins, National Cabbage Day: History And Fun Facts About Cabbage. So now we are worried he may have killed it. I can’t even see out of my front window anymore. If not, you haven’t lost anything but you will likely want to replace this tree. Less is always better when it comes to “pruning” shrubs or trees. Any suggestions of trees that will provide the sound barrier and lushness that I bought this property for? No one wants the wholesale slaughter of existing, mature trees that would result from drastic root pruning needed to install subsurface utility conduits. I have not done this with a redwood but I have down it with other conifers and evergreens. University studies confirm this in independent testing. Is there anything at all to be done? Yes, that’s it, this kills a tree. That depends. Its the only thing I know to do but I think it will work over time. Taking a chain saw strait across a tree canopy is not the best practice for the look or health of any tree. In your case, there are many fruit tree and regular tree varieties that remain rather small, or at least very slow growing. Gosh, I’m really sorry to hear about what happened to you in the storm. Many people don’t realize that cutting down a tree alone does not kill the root system. Hi Joe, What should I do? wait until mid winter. The sweet bay magnolia has a beautiful form and I don’t know how it will look in time. This would give you the supporting information you may be looking for if you feel the need to have another opinion. at the base, and about 38 years old. The answer YES! I was raised in New York, where we are not familiar with this “topping” procedure. Hat rack pruning is cutting off lateral branches at arbitrary lengths and damages trees in ways similar to topping. Desperate on how to cut the branch that’s hanging off? In many cases the tree can be topped or it can be removed; under such circumstances topping a tree makes more sense than perhaps you can imagine. A tree usually has 4 to 7 major roots. You have to use a tree killer that actually works. You’ll just have to wait and see if it recovers from the shock of losing all it’s limbs! Thanks Roy. Ironically, topping is not a viable solution to reducing size or hazard. Unfortunately, cutting and grinding might not be enough to kill your tree. Anyway, if I prune away those lowest branches, will it help to strengthen the trunk/leader that remains? I would like to have them reduced by half, square cut across the top. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Hi, I accidentally cut off the entire top of my dogwood tree with a weed wacker by cutting right through the trunk horizontally. However, if it is not, you might try taking a side limbing growing near the tip and point it up and secure it with a splint or round stake, like a strong piece of bamboo, etc. I suggest consulting an ISA certified arborist, who can evaluate tree structure and pruning or removal needs. I’ve clean cut it now, just above two buds. Removing much of the leaf surface area needed to produce food and the food storage reserves. Lucky for you maples are pretty forgiving. He said they do not recommend topping trees but in this situation it might be better to take off 50 feet than remove all 150 feet. Hi Ben. Hi Kathleen. I had a tree company come out in the fall and tell me that the healthiest way to trim my tree was to top it. I understand wanting to be a good neighbor, but this is a big ask. I have to confess here that I don’t know the answer to your question. They will be staked so that they do not blow over. We have another 100+ foot ponderosa around 25 feet from our house that worries us when the winds in November will kick up again, We can’t really afford to take it down fully so would delimbing or skirting help in reducing the chances of this tree becoming part of our house AGAIN so to speak. Cutting the lower branches off doesn’t do anything to promote top growth. I really need some advice as to what to do with it, if anything. Then the “view’ won’t be the problem I suppose. If a tree is unable to compartmentalize the fungi, it may reach the trunk and ultimately kill the tree. Just cut a big stump close to its base and cover it with the trash bag. How can this be delt with on trees, fruit trees, etc. Also prune the broken piece down to just above the next healthy set of leave buds. I feel your pain Barbara! The tree has grown upward quite fast, but the trunk is not strong enough to hold the branches up. Once a tree is topped, it is highly susceptible to disease, decay and insects. Wear a pair of rubber gloves and safety goggles to prevent possible skin and eye irritation caused by the chemical. Roundup may not kill the tree. No point in giving up now. They may survive but generally they’re not “wired” to respond to this type of loss year after year. Showing the results of this tree after cutting as you have may change his mind. The best ways to kill a tree without cutting it down is to drill holes in the roots and apply a tree killer, to girdle the tree, or to hammer copper nails into the roots. It does lean about 10 degrees that way. I do realize this article was written some months ago. This may surprise you. Hey Tim. It was topped some yeas ago and the leaves sprouted on each limb like Pom Poms. Hi Pat. I have two new trees (peach & willow), that produced growth near the bottom but no new growth on the top 2/3. evergreens. It is still close to the same height it was when the top broke off. Would this be a terrible idea? The weeping birch had about 60% of its branches taken away. Ultimately, customers would enjoy better service. Here’s an article I wrote on it: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/control-of-the-hemlock-wooly-adelgid/ They resprout to form new branches very well. Whether you want to cut off the tip, also known as the leader, of your pine tree depends on the effect you hope to achieve. The tree is naturally going to respond to rapid growth to try and replace what was just lost. One cherry this year. #1 The utility company contracted a tree trimming company to trim trees in my city. Lastly, I have two trees in my front garden bed that should never been planted there (they were there when I moved in) One is a spruce (or pine) tree and one is some type of green-yellow arborvitae type tree. Maybe I am just venting my frustration. There’s really nothing I can suggest that you can do to help it. A one time topping hopefully won’t be enough to do them in. I would say the price of hiring a “Certified Arborist” at this point for their expert opinion would be well worth it! Hi Laryssa. After a heavy snowstorm damaged a few branches on our Swedish columnar aspens and bent many of the branches on the Sutherland caraganas (both types at full height) I hired an arborist for some light pruning and tidying of these and a weeping birch. Thank you in advance! It’s the one thing about big trees that I admit make me nervous having them close to the house like in your case. Sweet gums can be scary because their form is tall and slender. Read more articles about General Tree Care. That is just too much for most trees to bear. it could be that all the branches where new growth would sprout was cut off. Alpharetta, GA 30004. What they don’t realize is that topping permanently disfigures and damages the tree, and may even kill it. Balance between the tree’s crown (top) and root system is important for maintaining healthy trees. Seriously? So I spent hours trimming out branches. Best Time to Kill Tree that Is Invasive – Winter! It also sheds leaves year-round, making grass mowing and yard work more difficult. I don’t know what type of tree it is – spring blossoms are similar to white snowball type clumps and beautiful red foliage in the fall. he wants us to climb up into the tree and cut from the top down about 20 feet. But I have no idea what else to do other than just let the tree fall, which is also extremely heartbreaking to think about happening. That is why it will be very important for you to be vigilant in monitoring its future health. could you offer me some advise please. The most popular mechanical method is girdling. Eventually the side branch turned lead will develop the rigidity to remove the splint. https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/control-of-the-hemlock-wooly-adelgid/, http://nifa.usda.gov/partners-and-extension-map?state=GA&type=Extension. I hate this happened to you. Considering you describe this tree as massive, I would def. Did they kill it? Hi Joe, I have a young pecan tree and the kids broke off the main top branch and it seems to be doing good . Ultimately, all utility lines should be underground. Is it possibly that the city’s act have caused this? This is a case where you may actually want to consider “topping” the trunk above a certain set of branches. I would also consider: hemlocks, junipers, cryptomeria, and holly If you drilled a hole above ground it may bit more tricky to hide the hole. I recently hired someone to thin out a large, full 20 year old street tree planted on my property. Do you have any opinion about this? Also, while you’re cutting be sure to cut what is necessary to remove all the dead trunk and limb tissue. Hi Shelia. Is it resuming it’s tree form and producing a weeping canopy? I’ve been babying it for a couple of years now and am just heartbroken. Watering consistently will be your biggest and most important issue. I’m devastated! Expect results in approximately two months or less. We have 8 of these Ponderosa pines in our yard sadly. Being good neighbors, we want to preserve the trees and neighborly peace. Sorry for the long delayed response! BTW, leave the “splint on as long as you can. If so, you can cut it back all the way to active growth and see if it will re-sprout below that and send up fresh new growth. I do not want to cut down the trees entirely, but I am not sure there are any other alternatives. Continue reading to learn what tree killers will work every time. Yikes Barbara. So, if they die then you should not plant anymore trees there. Fertilizer won’t fix it. It is a very tall tree, probably twice the height of my house. Hi Keye. You should contact your local county extension service for specific suggestions. The tree also needs pruning because it looks very sparse. Since pecan trees have an open form vs. a central leader, I would watch it this year and see what is growing in to fill the space. I am very resistant to doing this, but don’t know the best way to handle it, especially because I see you saying that cutting off the tops is a bad idea. The utilities say pruning branches that might come in contact with their lines reduces the risk of service interruptions and equipment damage. While they might want to do a consulting call which might cost about a hundred bucks, this is a case that might def. Two side by side hollies at the corner of the house and a sweet bay magnolia in the front flower bed. But before you do any of that, make sure you are getting enough sunlight down to this tree to begin with. The principle should be the same though. But my problem is when people with chain saws start butchering mature trees for no sound horticultural reason. My second question is, I have read that hemlocks are now getting infested by an aphid of some sort. This makes me sick too Melanie! The next best time to make these cuts is late winter, or early spring. The disfiguring “pruning” necessitated only when trees reach maturity would cease. Even cutting a tree down can't guarantee it will be killed. Is it true that magnolia tree roots continue to grow even after the tree is cut down? She is fine about me sawing off a few of the branches on my side but I have heard that doing so in winter can kill it off completely. This spring, to our dismay and with no warning, our town’s public works guys came by and gave our pine tree a chop. There are only three other branches about midway down and they are doing fine. You could also simply use your fingernail to scrape away a small layer of bark to see if you see green beneath. Growing a Greener World We just went through a devastating wind storm in Spokane, Washington and a 60 foot Ponderosa pine came through our bedroom and caused almost 60k worth of damage. Also, I would see recourse. The only thing I would suggest you do to give the trunk a fighting chance to grow straight and tall is to reduce the amount of branching that is pulling the trunk over and inhibiting it from growing up. They live in regions with similar soils natively. I planted a redwood tree about fifteen years ago. Any chance the tree will recover and look ok? With any luck, the tree will survive but unfortunately, it’s lost forever it’s original grace, form and structural integrity. Establishment is the most important thing you can do right now. Where I live near Atlanta, GA most trees have not budded out yet, and new growth would come later. All the little branches and greenery are gone. It seems that there is no growth above the area where it was girdled, but there are new buds below, about a foot from the ground. It may grow back but only time will tell. They are typically staffed with volunteer Master Gardeners during the week manning the phones to take your questions. However, if it has a dominant lead which i think it does, my experience is that when a tree like that loses it’s main lead, it will develop a new lead from the closet side branch. Pines can be very susceptible to bad pruning. Thank you! Thank you for enlightening me. This goal could be achieved with a bit of creative engineering and some a long-term planning. If I were you, I pay a few bucks to consult with a “Certified Arborist” to get a professional opinion in writing. I have my fingers crossed for you. Hi Joe, My house backs up to a conservation area which then backs up to an Air Force landing strip. I was told that it would have new growth this Spring, but nothing new is growing. These weak attachments will never have the structural integrity of the original branch and can break off easily, even years later when they are large and heavy. They will do a good job of absorbing and dampening some of the sound. I had my Oak tree Topped by the same company that has pruned it over the years and would like to know what type of products to use to assist in the re-growth of leaves? That can make the wood even softer and less able to withstand future environmental challenges. I can’t safely make suggestions for your area as I’m not familiar enough with your specific growing conditions. For a smaller tree stump, you can use the dark-colored bucket for cover. What can I do to bring it back to life? Toni. The tree is less than an inch in diameter and maybe six feet tall. Just make sure you make the right cut, and nature will take care of the rest. Oh noooo. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: good soil . Cutting off trunk of large tree fern to re-grow . I understand the theory about NOT topping a tree, how ever,, I have two Shumard Red Oaks in the back yard,, they grow to 60ft, I would like them to only get to the 20to25ft range,, any thoughts to keep them at that height.. Full height would overwhelm my yard. If you drill holes into the roots below the dirt then no one will be able to detect the hole in the wood. The general rule when pruning is to never remove more than a third of the total growth at any one time. Wow Tim. I get that topping a tee is bad. Our neighbors decided that the branches were hanging into their yard, so they cut back the branches in several places. I would replace them with a mix of broadleaf evergreen trees and large evergreen shrubs. Joe can you please tell if he has? Hi Joe, I was interested in this article because for some time, our neighbors have been pressuring us to either top or remove our redwood tree to improve their view. It makes me so mad!!! Sign up for our newsletter. Hi Joe! I’m worried the tree will die..how long do I have to wait to see new budding and is there any way to help it survive? I hate to hear that. I have a moose problem and I want my apple trees to grow tall and out of reach. It has a split about a foot from the base and one side has hardly no limbs, making it appear “one sided.” I had planned to top it off until I read this article, now I think that would be a bad idea. This nonprofit uses a unique blend of humor and controversy to raise public awareness of these “Crimes Against Nature” committed in our own backyards. Sorry to hear about the mandate on your trees. How do you know if a redwood is healthy? (against his advice on some of the upper limbs) That brought the tree to a more reasonable size, and unlike the arborist indicated, it filled in the pruned places and is a beautiful shape. I will still wait until the current frosts have gone away, however long that takes. Some infect the entire tree and there’s nothing you can do to save it. Since it’s young, you could go either way. Never remove more than 20 percent of above-ground tree roots at once. If you don’t like the look of the bushiness of new branches lower down, you could cut them off but you will find that in short order, you will get more new growth around the area of the branches you just removed (the new bushy growth area). Should I keep the leaves trimmed to control growth when this occurs? Thanks in advance. I don’t know what kind of tree this is but it sure gives us great shade. we just moved to Washington, are house hunting and saw a great house whose owners just topped their neighbors trees to encourage the sale of his house by “improving” the view of the Sound. Hi, Joe! The caragana are totally cut off and are now only six ft high. But don’t wait much longer. Good luck. How often do you water the plant: often during dry periods . I don’t advise that. Years ago, the owner topped the tree (wasn’t us! I’m concerned about the ramifications,tree already struggling….will this potentially further stress this pine? Sounds like somebody wanted to improve their view? It may be that those upper parts of the trees are dead. The trees will likely attempt to replace their lost growth but without the structural integrity and form of their prior self. Here’s a link you can use to find your local extension service office: http://nifa.usda.gov/partners-and-extension-map?state=GA&type=Extension, Given the negative impact of pollarding / coppicing, why are utility companies permitted to engage in this practice? But you need to find someone who is not motivated to suggest cutting them down just because that’s how they might make some money. 2 years ago I paid a lot of money to have a huge pine, 2 chinquapin oak and a pecan cut down because all were leaning towards my home and my children’s bedrooms. Do you have any other suggestions? I have a huge maple tree in my front yard which I had to have pruned because of neighbor complaints (I live in a city). Another option is soft cloth or florist tape. Hi Lee. How do we get the trunk to grow thicker? Type of Plant (if known): Tree fern . Hi Joe. Hi Joe, I have tree that is dead at the top, but is thriving in the middle and bottom…could I then top it? You’re looking for any signs of life, such as green tissue under the bark. I just can’t help but think that it just doesn’t make any sense to potentially (and probably) damage and kill the tree in the process of trying to save it. I never thought I’d actually say that, but this is a case where you might want to reduce the weight at the top of the tree for now. It had some very long limbs that needed a trimming but no dead branches or anything. It’s a reminder to us all to always hire a company that employs “Certified Arborists”. Last year my husband and I moved it away from the house because we were extending our deck. Hi Cynthia. Topping a tree opens it up to the risks in infestation for pests and diseases. Hi, I sent you a question this afternoon about my elm tree being topped way down almost to the fork, that was last fall. ), and it has grown a split double trunk. I just don’t know this tree well enough to tell you definitively. They cut in the middle of the branch. However, this may be several inches or more below the cut. However, anything’s possible if the cuts were severe or done in a way that damaged the tree’s ability to recover. Is there any way to save it so it will grow back. I hope you contacted the company owner (hopefully it is a company that has employees and someone who knows what they are doing). I cannot believe this happened. I had a young tree with a trunk about 2.5 inches in diameter that stood about four feet high. Suitable branches are at least one-third to three-fourths the diameter of the branch you are cutting. Each cut sprouts multiple new branches and the conditions become exponentially problematic with each cycle. It has changed our whole landscape in the front yard. It depends on what kind of borers. As a defensive action, the starving tree responds by rapidly sending out multiple shoots from latent buds below each cut. Many people think that you can shorten a tree by cutting off the top. My concern is can we plant hemlock in their place. The tree seems to be healthy, it has grown bigger around at the base and the branches grow out but it will not grow up. I cut my Australian bottle old and diseased below ground level and to my surprise it not only grew back it now has 3 trunks and about 20 feet high . After Hurricane Sandy toppled a few of them–thankfully the fallen trees missed the house–I have been really anxious about those trees. It may be possible to have the trees pruned to thin the canopies; this reduces wind and ice pressure on the trunk and branches and reduces the risk of failure. But if you want to promote new growth and have your tree fill out, follow branches back from their tip until you get to a point where you see leaf buds on both sides of the branch. Many people think that you can shorten a tree by cutting off the top. As to it’s future related to the disease, it depends on what the disease was and where it impacted the tree overall. Needless to say our garden now has no privacy whatsoever and the trees look so bad. Later I trimmed these back to the trunk. I love them but they are too close to the house. However, to help things along, here’s what I have done in similar situations with other conifers that have lost their lead. Hi Sue. Let’s hope this was a one-time topping. ... She wasn't sure about conifers and wasn't sure if the whole tree would die if it was cut in winter. With the help of this method, you will kill a tree without chopping it down. They should also know which of those trees will put out new growth from the trunk and canopy. I have a huge wide leaf maple tree in my front yard which I would like to reduce in size by at least one third. The tree figures it out and the results have been very positive. They are not native here. thanks. Yikes Mark. sorry to hear about this Heather. You may see new growth just below the cut or from a point at the base of the tree as new growth emerges to replace what was lost. Hi, I believe one of the main reasons people think they need to come back and top their trees each year is because they do it wrong a first time and that just starts a vicious cycle of having to come back each year and take back the new growth. I live in Syracuse, NY (quite cold and snowy winters) and two years ago I planted a small fringe tree I purchased in South Carolina. Trees will quickly attempt to regrow to their original size with inferior limb attachments. This is one of the problems with topping mature trees and branches. Perhaps call a “Certified Arborist” and ask if they have any ideas? Observing where new branching emerges from parent branches and cutting at the right place, using the right technique will go much further in protecting the health and promoting the proper and future growth of any tree. IF the trees are next to a power line they had the right to do whatever was necessary to prevent any accidents from happening. People that trim trees like this and advise that it is the right thing to do, should not be in that business. However I do not have experience with the trees you mention so I cannot say for sure. It’s hard to say Don without seeing it. When you say no new growth, are the limbs dead up there? Well Deborah, I believe it is possible that a new leader or limb will grow to replace the top one that was broken. Though I don’t have one, but I thought you were supposed to top off a Catalpa tree every year if you wanted to keep it from getting too big? Both have gotten too tall and are also crowding each other. Topping is considered the most harmful tree pruning practice known. However, cutting them back will likely produce new growth, but this new growth will be far weaker than the original wood. 5665 Atlanta Hwy, Ste 103-342 try to refasten the hinging top, or take it off completely? A person with disabilities can not work above 5-6 feet. I have 70 foot pecan tree..young i think. However it does depend on how much you have cut off, but you can maintain a pyramidal shape as long as you continue to shear it that way. That will lead to more problems later. IS IT? That’s one of the hazards of topping trees. Good morning Joe from Spokane Washington Cutting just one of them within a few feet of the trunk can remove up to 25 percent of the root system. when trimming should be cut anything from the top of the tree at all or just leave it. I would like to see this tree fill out more and I’m not sure where to cut to get it to do this. Two years ago, my husband and I moved to a home in Alpine, CA, a small hillside community in East San Diego County (altitude of 1,800-2,000 feet above sea level). One of my redwood trees has excessive bark peeling, and looks black at the bottom. Assuming you’d get the same advice from the arborist to do this again (and the same from me), this tree may be able to take it again. If this happens, you'll need to systematically look for new sprouts and cut them down whenever they appear. Some of those guys with chainsaws get way too aggressive and I’m sorry it happened to you too. Be patient though. Until then, alternatives to topping may include selective pruning and thinning. Is this a good idea? A tree which gets girdled dies gradually in about a year or more. I wouldn’t add any more stress to a new tree during this very hot, dry time. If they are not suitable for your area, look for other trees like this. Someone trimmed my pine tree while I was gone and totally removed the lower branches. We have an unusual rounded pine tree – 25 feet tall and wide with gorgeous red bark – near our sidewalk. Is there not a healthy way to say take off about 10 ft of hight? How much of the top you cut is a factor. The herbicide will inhibit growth and eventually kill the tree stump. I can see near the top of the tree it has tried to send out new shoots, but they are dead, no green at all. Mary. In the event that the trees survived topping, the rapid growth that would result creates a high risk of branch failures. When you make the cut, do so about 1/4 to 1/2 inch above this space with a sharp pair of bypass loppers or pruners. But losing the top is not a death sentence by itself and some trees recover. If not, it’s always the highest points that suffer. As an alternative to removing the tree, I was told by a certified arborist that my Redwood could withstand being topped as they are resistant to disease etc. Either way, I would suggest pruning back those limbs in late winter (not now), to a point just above dormant leaf buds. I love your site and appreciate your sage advice to the folks with questions. Thank you in advance! That should stimulate new growth in spring. justify the expense. They know better and would never do this to a tree. Certified or professional arborists won’t use tree-damaging climbing spikes unless they are removing the tree completely, they don’t list topping as a service in their yellow pages ad and they’ll never suggest it to you as a solution, because it’s not!
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