I used to think topping a maple was fine for size control

A forester showed me a row of topped trees in our city park, and every single one was full of decay and weak sprouts. I realized I was just creating future hazards. What's the best way you explain this to a homeowner who insists on it?

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3 Comments

shane_wilson6mo ago

Just tell them they're giving the tree a bad haircut... it'll grow back weak and full of rot.

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lunab976mo ago

Bad haircuts on trees are a real problem. You gotta cut back to the branch collar or it won't heal right. Leaving those stubs is just asking for disease to get inside. A clean cut lets the tree seal itself off properly.

8

paulw636mo ago

Ever see a tree with those ugly stub cuts? That's exactly what @shane_wilson means by a bad haircut. Those stubs can't heal and let rot right in. A proper cut is the only way a tree can close the wound.

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