Basic gardening terms and definitions: Tree topping

Published February 3, 2012 | By Jane

Topping trees can create damage

Tree topping

Tree topping is a term used for the most common method of cutting back a tree. Although it is usually used to reduce the head size of a tree, it is a form of pruning that is frequently more damaging than helpful to the tree. Indiscriminate hacking back of much or all of the leafy branches will weaken a tree, encourage it to sprout too vigorously and expose large cuts that are vulnerable to insect and disease attacks or rot. The best way to avoid expensive and damaging tree topping is to plant the right kind, habit and type of tree in the right location. If a mature tree does need to be pruned severely, it should be cut back with proper tools to sturdy laterals, and only a limited amount of wood should be removed in a single year. Excessive wounds should be avoided. Mature trees can be cut back severely, but the job should be done only by experienced arborists. Tree topping is advertised by some companies as a service, but as popular as it is, it is a dangerous way of shaping or controlling tree growth. It may seem like a less expensive solution at first, but in the long run it is likely to be more costly than proper professional pruning if the tree is turned into a tangled mess of rampant growth, dies from shock or disease, or creates property damage or personal injury when weak growth causes the tree to break or collapse

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