Michael Womack
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Saturday, November 13, 1999

Topping is butchery of a tree

This practice, others damage plant's health

 

Through the years, more and more research-based information has come along that is changing the way we look at tree pruning and maintenance.
   For many years, people regularly severely cut back their trees to promote branching and fast vigorous growth. Usually all that was left after such a pruning was just the trunk and large limbs and no leaves. This practice is now referred to as tree topping and it is the number one "no-no" in tree pruning.
   Here are some reasons NOT to top your tree. Topping removes too much leaf surface, which the tree needs to produce food, plus the remaining branches may get sunscald. Furthermore, large stubs can't heal properly and invite insects and decay.
   It is true that many trees will produce rapid new growth and form a denser crown after topping. While it may look fuller and more attractive, this extra dense branching is more resistant to wind. In high winds, the damage will be more severe, because the tree resisting the wind rather than letting it pass through. The new branches also form weaker branch connections, due to the tree's attempt to compartmentalize the damage from the cut. Topping a tree also destroys its natural shape and beauty. Furthermore, some older trees won't re-leaf after a severe pruning and then will die sooner than they would normally. Topping trees actually reduces the value of the tree and the property. Add the expense to remove the tree and replace it, along with the increased liability from weakened branches and future maintenance, and you can see that tree-topping is not worth the short term "pseudo-benefit" of rapid growth.
   In short, NEVER TOP A TREE!
   Two other formerly recommended practices include making flush cuts when removing branches and sealing the wound with pruning paint. Research has found that both of these practices actually delay the healing process and are no longer recommended. A flush cut, as the name implies, removes the entire limb flush with the trunk. This practice removes the branch collar, the raised area at the base of the branch, which is the natural healing site in the event of branch removal.
   Also, research has shown that applying pruning paint will actually slow the tree's natural healing process. The Texas Agricultural Extension Service and the Texas Forest Service now only recommend its use on oaks in areas where oak wilt has been detected. Those areas are well north of Nueces County; therefore, it's use is not recommended locally.
   Finally, many large, older trees- especially ash trees -tend to develop hollow areas as they age. In the past, cement was used to increase the trunk's stability. Again, time and further research has proven this practice to be detrimental. The tree will still have a weak trunk structure. The decay will continue and usually progress even more quickly.
   As the tree becomes weaker, it actually becomes a "hazard tree," due to the increased risk of damage to people and property in the event of the tree or a limb falling. In such cases, it is recommended that those trees be removed completely. They are not worth saving.
   The tree will continue to decay and eventually die in the situation of extensive trunk rot. If cement is applied to the trunk, it becomes a hazard to the people trying to remove the tree. A chainsaw may kick back and injure someone if it hits cement within the tree trunk. The added danger and the added wear and tear on equipment, along with the increased manpower to remove the cement will also increase the cost of removing the tree. Furthermore, if your tree removal service doesn't have workman's comprehensive insurance, you may be liable if they are injured on your property, so keeping risks to a minimum should always be on your mind.
   These previously accepted practices are now fallacy. It is important that homeowners understand why they need to change the way that they approach tree care. In the long run, they will see the benefits of stronger, healthier growth and reduced cost of tree-pruning and removal.
   For more information on tree selection and care, join the fun at Arborfest, a free, family-oriented educational event sponsored by the Tree Awareness Council (882-3172) at the Blucher Nature Center, (205 N. Carizzo St.), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Experts from many nature-oriented agencies and local organizations will be on hand to answer questions.
   Michael Womack is a horticulturist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Send gardening questions to: Keep It Green, Corpus Christi Caller Times, P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi 78469. Questions can only be answered through the column.
  

1999 Caller-Times Publishing Company, a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.