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Topping trees vs. thinning cuts: my experience sparked a big debate at work
I always topped trees to save time, but they kept getting sick lol. So I tried thinning cuts instead, and now the trees look great. Some coworkers say topping is fine for quick jobs, but I disagree. It seems like a trade-off between speed and tree health. What's your take on this debate?
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gracem906mo ago
My old neighborhood had these topped pin oaks that looked like knobby fists every winter. They'd sprout these weak, crowded branches each spring that snapped in summer storms. Half of them got carpenter ant infestations where the cuts never healed right. The city finally removed them all last year and replanted with trees that only get proper thinning cuts.
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ivanb416mo ago
Is tree topping really that bad in the long run?
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maxw346mo ago
The city park near me removed 20 topped maples last fall for the same reasons @gracem90 described. Those cuts never callus over properly, so decay sets in and attracts pests like carpenter ants. Proper thinning cuts let sunlight reach inner branches, which makes the tree stronger over time. It's amazing how much longer trees live when they're pruned correctly instead of topped!
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