Topping a tree looks like a quick way to make it smaller, but it does far more harm than good.
Cutting a canopy back to bare stubs strips away the leaves a tree relies on to feed itself and leaves large wounds open to decay and insects. The tree reacts by pushing out weak, fast-growing shoots that are poorly attached and much more likely to break in a Tennessee Valley storm.
There is almost always a better option. Proper crown reduction and thinning can lower a tree's height and weight while keeping its natural structure and long-term health intact. Around Chattanooga, that difference protects both the tree and everything beneath it.
Good pruning works with a tree's biology, not against it.
#TreeCare #TreePruning #Chattanooga #TreeHealth
A side-by-side of a topped tree versus a properly crown-reduced tree. Real examples preferred over stock diagrams.
Canva text suggestion: "Topping Is Not Pruning" or "A Better Way to Shorten a Tree"