|
|
What is Topping?
|
|
| Topping
is the indescriminate cutting back of tree branches to stubs or lateral
brances that are not large enough to assume the terminal role. |
| Why
do people Top their Trees? |
|
| The
most common reason is to reduce the size of a tree. Topping, however, is
not a viable method of height reduction, and certainly does not reduce the
hazards related to a tall tree. In fact, topping will make a tree more hazardous
in the long term. |
|
Why
is Topping Hazardous to your Trees? |
|
•
Topping Stresses Trees:
Topping often removes 50-100% of the leaf-bearing crown of a tree. Since
the leaves are the "food factories" of a tree, this can temporarily
"starve" a tree. The severity of the pruning triggers a sort
of survival mechanism. The tree activates latent buds, forcing the rapid
growth of multiple shoots below each cut. The tree needs to put out a
new crop of leaves as soon as possible. If a tree does not have the stored
energy reserves to do this, it will be seriously weakened and may die.
Also,
a stressed tree is more vulnerable to insect and disease infestations.
| 
|
|
Topping
is Hazardous: new shoots grow quickly
and are prone to breakage.
|
•
Topping Can Lead to Sunburn
Branches within a tree's crown produce thousands of leaves to absorb sunlight.
When the leaves are removed, the remaining branches and trunk are suddenly
exposed to high levels of light and heat. The result may be sunburn of
the tissues beneath the bark. This can lead to cankers, bark splitting
and death of some branches.
•
Topping Creates Hazards
The survival mechanism that causes a tree to produce multiple shoots below
each topping cut comes at great expense to the tree. These shoots develop
from buds near the surface of the old branches. Unlike normal branches
that develop in a "socket" of overlapping wood tissues, these
new shoots are only anchored in the outermost layers of the parent branches.
The new shoots grow very quickly, as much as 20 feet in one year, in some
species. Unfortunately, the shoots are very prone to breaking, especially
during windy conditions. The irony is that while the goal was to reduce
the tree's height to make it safer, it has been made more hazardous than
before.
|
|
•
Topping Makes Trees Ugly
Trees form a variety of shapes and growth habits, all with the same goal
of presenting their leaves to the sun. Topping removes the ends of the
branches, often leaving ugly stubs. Topping destroys the natural form
of a tree.
Without the
leaves (up to six months of the year in temperate climates) a topped tree
appears disfigured and mutilated. With the leaves, it is a dense ball
of foliage, lacking its simple grace. A tree that has been topped can
never fully regain its natural form.
•
Topping is Expensive
The cost of topping a tree is not limited to what the perpetrator is paid.
If the tree survives, it will require pruning again within a few years.
It will either need to be reduced again, or storm damage will have to
be cleaned up. If the tree dies it will have to be removed. Topping is
a high maintenance pruning practice.
|
|
 |
Alternatives
to Topping
|
| |
There are times when a tree must be reduced in height or spread. Providing
clearance for utility lines is an example. There are recommended techniques
for doing this. If practical, branches should be removed back to their
point of origin. If a branch must be shortened, it should be cut back
to a lateral that is large enough to assume the terminal role. A rule
of thumb for this is to cut back to a lateral that is at least 1/3 the
diameter of the limb being removed. This method of branch reduction helps
to preserve the natural form of the tree.
The
information above was exerpted from the following site. Please visit
http://www.isa-arbor.com/consumer/topping.html
for the complete article.
|
| Return |
|
|
|
|
