Arborist says NEVER "top" a tree

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I'm having a couple of ash trees in my backyard pruned and the arborist that will be doing the work says to never "top" a trees. He says doing so will injure and perhaps kill the trees by exposing the fresh cuts to the hot Sacramento sun.

My trees are about 40 feet tall and he says the pruning job will consist of raising the canopy slightly, thinning branches smaller than 2 inches in diameter and removing (some) damaged, broken branches.

Does that sound like a reasonable plan? Is he right to never "top" a tree because doing so will at the very least, injure the tree?

Thank you,
Ed
 
You are so lucky to have a living Ash Tree!! I miss all mine, unless treated, They are all dead in Ohio. EAB Nightmare. Such a mess with so many dead ashes here in woodlots and landscapes , I have been told here to Never "Top" a tree.
 
I worked a few summers with an arborist here in Florida as a teen. A properly done reduction cut is fine, but "topping" a tree is a serious no-no. If it doesn't suffer any permanent damage, you've created a monster that will just need even more pruning going forward to keep it in a decent shape, sometimes even yearly to prevent it from becoming an eyesore and a hazard.
 
Originally Posted By: Ed_Flecko
I'm having a couple of ash trees in my backyard pruned and the arborist that will be doing the work says to never "top" a trees. He says doing so will injure and perhaps kill the trees by exposing the fresh cuts to the hot Sacramento sun.

My trees are about 40 feet tall and he says the pruning job will consist of raising the canopy slightly, thinning branches smaller than 2 inches in diameter and removing (some) damaged, broken branches.

Does that sound like a reasonable plan? Is he right to never "top" a tree because doing so will at the very least, injure the tree?

Thank you,
Ed



He's right.
 
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Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I hate seeing people topping [censored] Myrtles. That ruins them. The arborist is right.


We call that Crepe murder around here.
 
The hurricanes, Rita, Humberto, and Ike, topped dozens of my trees. I refused to cut them down, though. They lost 10-20% of their height, but I hired a guy to climb up and make a clean cut just below the point where the breaks were. Trees have filled back out pretty good. No one really notices the damage. I would never willingly choose to top, though.
 
Originally Posted By: Bud
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
I hate seeing people topping [censored] Myrtles. That ruins them. The arborist is right.


We call that Crepe murder around here.


Haha it censored the word Cr*a*pe! I've seen it spelled that way and "Crepe". Which one is the actual correct spelling? I always thought it was the censored version haha. It even censored the word in the link good lord.

http://neilsperry.com/2016/06/success-with-[censored]-myrtles/
 
Why top them? They look so crummy like that. I'd either leave it, or i'd cut the whole thing down.

Its good business for the tree guys, they can charge you to top it, and charge you again to cut the whole thing down later.
 
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Originally Posted By: RichardS
I worked a few summers with an arborist here in Florida as a teen. A properly done reduction cut is fine, but "topping" a tree is a serious no-no. If it doesn't suffer any permanent damage, you've created a monster that will just need even more pruning going forward to keep it in a decent shape, sometimes even yearly to prevent it from becoming an eyesore and a hazard.


This ^^

A properly done reduction or trimming is one thing and the proper way to do it, but just lopping off the top portion would be ridiculous. The tree might as well be taken down completely.
 
Our family is in the christmas tree business on one farm. You cut trees. They all get cut just above the lowest round of branches. Then they get pruned for a strong leader, staked up and the replacement tree is on the way. Firs, Spruce, Pines - they all get it. Not many dead trees in the whole ranch ...

Eucalyptis get topped all the time, or they get so tall they blow over. Willows get topped and they come right back. Fruit trees get topped so they don't get to tall to pick. Never hurts them for their expected life span.

Ash, I'm not sure about... I'd do some more research. Many arborists are good old boys that started as tree climbers and eventually got their license. I'd call the local University with a Forest Program and talk to an instructor ...
 
We trim branches at the trunk. Then we "deadwood" on up. I would never consider cutting a live branch halfway from the trunk if that's what you call "topping" the tree.
 
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Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
You are so lucky to have a living Ash Tree!! I miss all mine, unless treated, They are all dead in Ohio. EAB Nightmare. Such a mess with so many dead ashes here in woodlots and landscapes , I have been told here to Never "Top" a tree.


He is very lucky, indeed! All of ours in TN have died. In my travels to OH and KY, in the last year, you can really tell that they have all died too. It's sad.
 
He's right. His method will keep the strongest limbs and branches while getting rid of the small ones that suck energy from the tree and are more susceptible to weather damage. Usually when you top a tree each topped limb grows back with many smaller and weaker branches.
 
Originally Posted By: austinlunsford
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
You are so lucky to have a living Ash Tree!! I miss all mine, unless treated, They are all dead in Ohio. EAB Nightmare. Such a mess with so many dead ashes here in woodlots and landscapes , I have been told here to Never "Top" a tree.


He is very lucky, indeed! All of ours in TN have died. In my travels to OH and KY, in the last year, you can really tell that they have all died too. It's sad.


I lost 3 Ash trees in the last 8 years, Bugs just ate them up, They don't seem to interested in Mesquites & Live Oaks!
 
My ash tree planted in 1999 is about 40 feet tall. Never topped and it looks great. I spend big $$$$ keeping it alive with Merit Tree Injection. My hope is any species that destroys its food and shelter source cant live forever. I do see EAB d-shaped exit holes in the tree, but the Merit Tree Injection seems to keep them at bay. I also spray diazanon directly into the exit holes. This tree provides the perfect shade and would take years to grow a tree like this. As far as I know, its the only surviving ash tree within miles. I also throw out coffee grounds around the apron of the tree. Supposedly it makes the bark distasteful for the EAB. 5 years ago, I would park my boat under this tree to wax it. i would leave it out overnight and the EAB's would be trapped in the dew on the boat. Last year, there was only one EAB trapped in the dew, so hopefully this means EAB numbers are dwindling. I will say I have seen them in honeylocust trees, but they can get past the inner bark since the wood is softer.
Hopefully Ed never has to worry about the EAB and it never crosses the mountains. Sadly, its people transporting firewood across state lines which is how it has spread from one pallet in Michigan to over half of the country. Though all it takes is one bad container crossing the Pacific and coming into port.
 
If you are doing annual applications of Merit (imidacloprid), you might also consider cost analysis of doing other treatments. Emamectin benzoate is particularly effective and only needs application every 2 to 3 years. Good job keeping you treasured ash tree alive and healthy. Don't forget other tree health maintenance, which includes proper soil and irrigation management. Avoid soil compaction if possible (vehicle traffic, playground equipment, etc.).

https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/eab/control_management/systemic_insecticides/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwje_8_WtvnSAhWp3YMKHcrGCnAQFgivATAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emeraldashborer.info%2Fdocuments%2FMultistate_EAB_Insecticide_Fact_Sheet.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHyC8oBK3nTmEWO0rLmlLnIs6rjWA
 
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