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Early Topping

Started by SLOBuds, June 17, 2004, 03:41:16 PM

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SLOBuds

Hi.

I'm a farm owner that planted about 110 shade trees, of about 8-10 species, last winter.  They were all bare root.  So far, 5 have died - 2 Bald Cypress and 3 Sycamore.

While reading up on planting methods for these trees, I found a document on one of the species that goes something like this: after the tree has achieved 6 feet heigth, cut the trunk in half some time during winter.  This prune will cause the tree to increase width of the remaining trunk and make the tree overall more healthy.

(I'm sorry that I don't have the actual quote right now, nor do I recall which species they were speaking of.)

I have also recently heard of Californians drastically cutting their Avocado trees for the purpose of having a structure which is easier to harvest.  Apparently this is the latest rage, to make all fruit accessable from the ground.  At any rate, the avocados were cut back drastically and had a very large survival rate.

Here's the question:

Do you think I should trim all 110 of my trees in half next year for their overall health and strength?

Or is this type of trimming species-specfic?

Or are you against this type of pruning altogether?

Thanks,
Martin Petersen

Here's what we planted:

Chinese Elm, Drake
Poplar Hybrid
Sycamore SD
Willow Hybrid
Oak
Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum
Coastal Redwood

SwampDonkey

The willow and poplar species may take the topping, but I wouldn't try it with the others. Alot of folks here will cut lombardy poplar back because they tend to get alot of dead limbs when they get big and litter the lawn with branches all the time. Personally, I would just limb up the trees so when you mow your not being swat in the face with branches. Topping trees is usually done on fruit trees to stimulate heavier crops and to make picking them easier.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Phorester


For one thing, you got excellent survival.  Congratulations.

As far as cutting the trunks in half, I can't visualize what you mean.  I can visualize a couple scenarios, but I shudder at the thought of doing that to a tree, so I wonder if you mean something other than what I think.

However, I've been around long enough to be willing to try new tree techniques I'm unfamiliar with. But not to all of a planting at one time......You could experiment by doing this to only 1 or 2 of each species, observe them for a couple years, and see if it helped/hurt.

As pointed out by another poster, injuring a tree will sometimes promote seed production.  Some oldtimers around here swear by beating the trunks of apple trees.  Says they produce more fruit.  I wonder though, if it doesn't also shorten the life of the tree.

But unless your new-found method is proposed by a crackpot, I'd be willing to try it on a few trees and see what happens.

SwampDonkey

 :D :D :D :D ermmm

I remember a guy at the nursey instructed some summer students to top a row of larch 4 feet. Well they topped'm alright, whack. :D I'm embarrased to say I was one of the summer students that did the whackin. ::) Of course he ment to limb the larch up four feet instead. :D

I bet you guys will have a good time with this post. :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ianab

my 2c
The instructions sound like something you could do with the hybrid poplar without harming it, and maybe there is a sensible reason to do so. Maybe the hybrid saplings grow too tall and skinny too fast and end up snapping off or uprooting?? I doubt it will harm a willow either  :D
With the others it would be a bad idea, you will promote multiple leaders and heavier branching and generally an ugly tree  :(  This may be an advantage if you have to pick fruit off something of course, but who wants an ugly 15 foot tall Coast Redwood ???

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

beenthere

SwampDonkey
Guess one best say what they mean, not expect something else.  :)  Hopefully he realized it was his mistake.

Sounds like a coach on our football team, last game, hadn't lost a game all season. We were ahead by only 5 points, 1 minute to go in the game, with our back against the wall on the 4 yard line, 4th down and 9 yards to go. The coach told the quarterback to take the ball into the end zone (really meaning to take the safety and drop back with the ball).  The QB thought he was given the call to keep the ball and run it down the field himself. Well, QB kept the ball and picked up the first down, by a miracle, as he slipped two tackles on his way. The coach about killed him, and kept shouting " I told you to take it into the end zone". He wasn't very clear, but we won the game.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SLOBuds

It was great to get feedback from all of you on this post from last month.  Yes ... I pretty much asked the question that I intended to ask.  And I pretty much got a consistent answer from everyone.

I'm not going to cut any trunk to half size based on your feedback.

But I WOULD like to mention that I did observe a pruning demonstration (Peach ?) where the arborist did in fact cut a 5 foot tree down to 2 feet intentionally.  To gasping response from the 100 or so in attendance.  Reason given was to strengthen the young trunk.  I don't think a radical pruning was expected for year 2 on that individual plant.

A similar narrative was given for one of my spicies - a radical pruning during first year, for similar purpose.  But HECK if I can recall which of the 100s of articles it was, or which of the species!  :)  If I ever find the reference again, I will post it here.

Then my question above was 'if it works with one, does it work with all'.

Guess not.

Phorester - the survival rate is too early to tell.  It is good right now because we baby every one of them.  Each is on drip, each is inside a growing tube, and each has mulch around the base.  I expect to have larger mortality by end of summer where it gets up to the 110-degree range out there.  But I hate to loose even ONE plant!  :)

Best to all,
Martkin

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