Help on choosing where to top two trees - with pics

[timothykamp]

A friend wants me to trim at least 2 of his trees - the ones marked with the red arrows. He says they are too tall and they don't want to lose them because of the wind. They also shade his backyard too much in the summertime during the evening. However, they are tree lovers, and don't want them cut down. He insists that they need to be topped/trimmed - but wants me to decide how much.
Any recommendations?

 

[Tree Pig]

oooooh man this is gonna be a great thread. I can see it now. LOL but myself like others I dont like the look of a topped tree so I cant help you. You top the one on the left you will have two bare poles in the back yard. The one on the right isnt a whole lot thicker.

 

[treemandan]

Tree lovers always seem to fall for the wrong trees. Love them and leave them( alone that is) or chop em the hell down. Some kind of poplar are they?

 

[Tree Pig]

Tree lovers always seem to fall for the wrong trees. Love them and leave them( alone that is) or chop em the hell down. Some kind of poplar are they?

:agree2: them two remind me of Charlie Browns Christmas Tree, top them 36" up from the ground.

 

[Rickytree]

Why top them? Cuz they're over 35 feet? What are they goin to hurt if they do fail? Which is doubtful!!

 

[timothykamp]

I agree- top much off of them and you have two poles. Apparently they sway a lot in the wind and the homeowner doesnt want them to fall down. Is there any good way to top them and not kill the thing/make it look completely loony?

 

[mic687]

If you think they sway in the wind wait until your hanging off that noodle they are wobbly. I topped a few poplars and finished my last cut with a stump grinder. Poplar trees are not really full enough to top kind of like a Birch they will just be ugly. I took down two birch trees and the guy wanted me to top 3 others, I said I would not top them but I would remove them if he wanted. We left them alone.:



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[treemandan]

I agree- top much off of them and you have two poles. Apparently they sway a lot in the wind and the homeowner doesnt want them to fall down. Is there any good way to top them and not kill the thing/make it look completely loony?

Oh, they move in the wind? why didn't you say so? That's bad.( joke)


Yeah, you have to get up there and makes cuts in 3 inch and less dia. wood. That would be the best way to top them. sounds like if you can do that the HO might abide.

Also you might want to tell them by removing the taller tree the smaller tree will have a chance to grow.

 

[tomtrees58]

:agree2:

:agree2: them two remind me of Charlie Browns Christmas Tree, top them 36" up from the ground.

:agree2:tom trees

 

[TreEmergencyB]

i love the lets top the tree cause its too tall yea great idea
o :censored: couple years later its just as tall but now its weak and bushy.

Topping Is Bad thats all there is too it


lol seen some small maples topped about 15' the other day they were pretty let me tell u

 

[Tree Pig]

:agree2::agree2::agree2::agree2:

 

[Rftreeman]

read " " in my sig

 

[treeseer]

read " " in my sig

dan is right

If you have not climbed up to 3" wood and made proper reduction cuts then you have nothing useful to add here.

Reducing is not topping
Know a fence!

 

[BC WetCoast]

The tree on the left is just a spindly POS and I would recommend just removing it. You could do some drop crotch reduction cuts on the one to the right, but you don' t have a lot to work with to make the tree look good afterwards. From your pictures, I don't see many targets should the tree fail. Trees sway in the wind, what are the targets should the tree fail?

 

[ozzy42]

Tell him you will top them about 1/2 way,and that is will you will place the rope to pull the trunk over.