Pruning is an essential part of tree care and maintenance – when done correctly. There are, however, some forms of tree pruning that can actually harm trees, causing them to become structurally weak, more susceptible to pest infestation, disease and ultimately death. Whilst all methods obviously involve the cutting of branches, each practice varies in approach and the impact on tree health.
Here we take a closer look at some of those undesirable tree pruning practices so you can better understand what you don’t want from your next tree pruning.
Tree Topping
Topping is one of the most harmful tree pruning practices, yet it remains a relatively common practice. Also known as heading or hat-racking, topping is the drastic and often harmful, removal of the tops of trees, usually by removing very large sections of the upper branches and foliage. Tree topping is generally done to significantly reduce the overall height of a tree or to reduce the risk of a tree’s branches hitting powerlines or other structures.
Tree topping is generally considered to be detrimental to a tree’s health, vitality and structural integrity, and lead to a number of issues down the track. Topping instantly removes a large portion of the tree’s canopy which interferes with its ability to produce food, leading to stress and decline. As the tree tries to quickly recover it can also develop weakly attached new growth that is prone to breakage in wind or severe storms.
Topping creates large wounds in the tree that leaves it open to pest infestation, disease and decay, greatly increasing the risk of weakness, ill health and possible death.
Topped trees can also look very unsightly and regrowth can look odd as shoots randomly grow while the tree tries to heal.
Tree Lopping
Similar to topping, lopping is essentially the haphazard cutting or trimming of branches to make a tree appear slimmer or smaller with little to no consideration for the impact of the cuts on the tree’s health, strength and structure. The lopped tree may initially seem more visually pleasing or appear less demanding in terms of maintenance, however lopping inflicts trauma and stress on the tree and can cause the tree to become hazardous down the track by weakening its structural integrity.
The tree sprouts new, often unsightly epicormic growth that usually attaches to the tree’s outer layer weakly, making it highly prone to failure. Just like topping, wounds left by lopping leave the tree highly prone to pest invasion, disease and decay, compromising its overall health and vitality. And a sick tree is a risky tree, that is far more likely to fall over in severe weather or lose a heavy limb.
Tree Pruning – Hire The Professionals
Pruning a tree correctly, knowing exactly why each cut is being made and the impact it will have on the tree is something that professional Arborists study, are trained in and practice each and every day. Correctly pruning a tree is not simply cutting off a branch and hoping for the best!
Don’t entrust your trees to just anyone. Take the hassle and guess work out of your tree care and maintenance needs and give Aussie Tree Solutions a call. We have a forty-year history of providing expert tree solutions to Brisbane residents, businesses, schools and universities. Whether you need the very best in tree pruning, you’re after top quality forest mulch or you want to have a tree removed, we’ve got you covered.