Topping is the excessive and arbitrary removal of all parts of the tree above and beyond a certain height with no regards for the structure or growth pattern of the tree. Often, topping may seem to remedy a problem for the short term but the future effects from topping we have now learned are devastating. Topping is so wide spread that many people believe it is the proper way to prune trees. Side effects of topping are:
- Destroys the balance between the roots and the crown, creating a tree that is more likely to fail since the tree is now heavy only on one side- Sunscald can occur burning the now exposed bark tissues and often creating disease cankers.
- Large stubs can’t heal. Large diameter limbs that have been removed are separated from food and water flow. As tissues die, wounds don’t seal, and decay often enters and spreads into the trunk creating a weak structure.
- New growth is weak. New sprouts are attached to the surface of stubs rather than being anchored from within former limbs. These new growths are more likely to break during high winds and ice storms.
- Topping disfigures trees. Topping dramatically alters the trees natural beauty and form.
- Topping is only temporary. Trees will always grow to their natural height and width. Rapid re-growth is nature’s way of recovering from disasters, even if man creates these disasters. Frequent re-topping will also be required to keep a topped tree under control making costs for tree trimming higher in the long run.
- Tree death on trees that are weak or struggling. This stress from topping will often push these trees into a decline that they will never recover from.
