Topping, cutting main branches back to stubs to reduce a tree's height, is still a request we hear, usually from someone worried about storm risk or a tree that's grown taller than expected. It almost always causes more problems than it solves.
A topped tree responds by sending out a cluster of weakly attached new shoots at each cut, which grow faster and less securely than the branch that was removed. Within a few years, the tree is often taller and more hazardous than before.
Selective structural pruning, thinning specific branches and reducing weight in the canopy where it actually matters, achieves the same safety goal without the tree fighting to recover for the rest of its life.
Has anyone ever suggested topping a tree on your property to deal with height or storm concerns?
#TreePruning
Photo of a crew member performing selective structural pruning, or a before/after comparison showing thinned canopy versus a topped tree elsewhere. Authentic job photos preferred over stock imagery.
Canva text suggestion: "Prune Smart, Not Short" or "Structural Pruning Over Topping"