Good luck. What can I possibly do to save my tree? Will the tree die? So this summer I bought an AG fabric tree bag to put over it which supposedly helps with frost but still allows light, air and water through. Topping occurs when the vertical stem (leader) and upper primary limbs (scaffold branches) on mature trees are cut back to stubs at uniform height. I had an arborist come out and trim some of the branches in the girth of the tree, as well as some upper limbs that were broken during an ice storm about 4 years ago. I am heartsick. They should also know which of those trees will put out new growth from the trunk and canopy. The extra encouragement of showing it the way has worked wonders for me. Cutting just one of them within a few feet of the trunk can remove up to 25 percent of the root system. The repeated topping of a tree to control its size will continue to stress the tree, produce weakly attached new limbs to replace the ones that are lost, and open the tree up to pests and diseases. Both saplings are about 4 ft tall now and have been in the ground for two years (yay Arbor Day!). Let’s keep an eye on this one and hope for the best. I live in the Netherlands where pollarding Willows is a long cherished cultural practice, but I think the trees look unhealthy. In the last couple weeks my concern has been growing as the tree has failed to produce any leaves when everything else around me is green. If so, you can cut it back all the way to active growth and see if it will re-sprout below that and send up fresh new growth. Removing branches through pruning wouldn’t normally kill a tree in one round. we just moved to Washington, are house hunting and saw a great house whose owners just topped their neighbors trees to encourage the sale of his house by “improving” the view of the Sound. Good luck! Thanks Roy. Hi Lee. What can I plant that is already tall and will grow fast? Hi Grady. A split double trunk is never good. It will need a lot of water through the hot months and well into fall Ron. Hi, I sent you a question this afternoon about my elm tree being topped way down almost to the fork, that was last fall. Thanks for this great information. I hope they have weathered this winter well, and will come back with a vengeance this spring. It doesn’t help the case but the only way to know for sure is to have it inspected by a Certified Arborist — not some guy with a chainsaw! Observing where new branching emerges from parent branches and cutting at the right place, using the right technique will go much further in protecting the health and promoting the proper and future growth of any tree. Yikes Mark. The tree has grown upward quite fast, but the trunk is not strong enough to hold the branches up. The closer you get to fall, the more chance you have of new growth dying back from cold weather. I still think the best advice is going to come from a Certified Arborist that is familiar with them in your area. Also, with fruit trees, it is perfectly acceptable to keep them pruned to a manageable, workable level. A tree usually has 4 to 7 major roots. Like you, I’m hoping they knew exactly what they were doing and not just “trigger happy” with the chainsaw. If I understand your question ocean, you’re wanting to put sealing paint over the exposed areas or wounds of your tree to protect it. We have five healthy pine trees standing approximately 40 feet high that frame the street front and side of our home. 2 years ago I paid a lot of money to have a huge pine, 2 chinquapin oak and a pecan cut down because all were leaning towards my home and my children’s bedrooms. Then, wait two to three years to make sure your tree fully recovers. and the modern day attempts to introduce more sustainable practices. If cut properly and not just hacked off as so many people do, then you stand a chance. I plan to run a drip system through the run of new hemlock. They may survive but generally they’re not “wired” to respond to this type of loss year after year. Hi jack. What can I do to bring it back to life? I read your article with great interest. Then do investigate the adelgid issue. This sounds like the tree is dead above the active growth. I have thought that at some point I need to show how it can be done in a way that doesn’t kill the tree. I was told that I could have the trees on my property replaced by ornamental trees. Both have gotten too tall and are also crowding each other. The top of your tree may soon be covered in thin, vertical sprouts that look like twigs, called water sprouts. They live in regions with similar soils natively. As you stated, it grew new branches below that and they grew fast – doubling the tree’s height over one summer! It had some very long limbs that needed a trimming but no dead branches or anything. I accidentally broke the leader on my young apple tree (3 years old). I planted a redwood tree about fifteen years ago. Many people think that you can shorten a tree by cutting off the top. Black cherry two years ago, sunny spot, no competing large trees. When you actually have a solution let us know .. Better yet, utilities would realize a reduction in long-term operating costs and increased profitability; both issues of significant interest to shareholders and senior executives. Now we are building and they are not nearly tall enough. I have a huge wide leaf maple tree in my front yard which I would like to reduce in size by at least one third. After you have blocked moisture and sunlight, use a weight to keep the cover in place. What should I do? My husband likes it. (Canada zone 2) So upset! I can have the pines removed completely. But my problem now is that it is TOO healthy, is roughly 100 feet high and has taken over my front yard. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! I have a large pin oak( 100 ft or so) and its on the property line. I have a huge maple tree in my front yard which I had to have pruned because of neighbor complaints (I live in a city). By cutting the sprouts, you deny the roots the energy they need to continue to grow. Thank you ! While I understand there are times where controlling the size through topping “may” be necessary, nearly all of the time it’s a losing battle. University studies confirm this in independent testing. They are usually sheared off at a uniform height. My money is on the fact that these guys hack job killed your pine. justify the expense. I was thinking of “topping” the trees down to the lowest branches that have leaves, but I am concerned that the trees may not survive and it may look strange. Hi Sue. While it is unsightly for now, let’s hope for the best. How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day: full sunlight . Seriously? Nothing you can do now Kathy I’m sorry to say. Do you have any other suggestions? It is about 65 years old, healthy, and trimmed regularly. If so, this can result in delay as the tree responds. Hello. I get that topping a tee is bad. You’ll just have to wait and see if it recovers from the shock of losing all it’s limbs! And it’s slow death. This is a case where you may actually want to consider “topping” the trunk above a certain set of branches. Topping any type of tree is inadvisable and in the case of white pines (as described below) it is likely to kill them. The sweet bay magnolia has a beautiful form and I don’t know how it will look in time. Until then, alternatives to topping may include selective pruning and thinning. Fertilizer won’t fix it. Arrgh! The crow are cracking the nuts on my roof so I cannot sleep. keep an eye on it but be thankful for it’s recovery. thanks. We have a question our landscaper cut our tree. Problem is, poor "cheap" pruning can permanently ruin the look of your valuable trees and often leave them susceptible to storm damage, disease and ultimately decline and death. Barbara, sorry to hear about what happened to your aspens. thank you. Oh noooo. Glad no one was hurt I assume. Hi, Once a tree is topped, it is highly susceptible to disease, decay and insects. As an alternative to removing the tree, I was told by a certified arborist that my Redwood could withstand being topped as they are resistant to disease etc. Next late winter you’ll need to prune the new growth that should emerge from this year’s blunder. Less is always better when it comes to “pruning” shrubs or trees. Now we have one close to 80 feet tall that’s around 6 feet from our other bedroom and worried that it could come down in another storm. Canopies of pine trees and many other evergreens grow outward from the needle-bearing tips of branches. But don’t rush it. Thank you. Good luck. I would like to see this tree fill out more and I’m not sure where to cut to get it to do this. Or will they fall off naturally as the trees grow? That was huge expense. Maybe the service was not very experienced, and was not able to take care of your trees well.