penright
ArboristSite Lurker
I would like to trim the tree so as to be able to walk under it. Let me fill in some details.
Just after my wife and I bought our new house my father-in-law gave us some saplings. He had several large oak trees and every year he would have to clean up under them. That spring he sent a few home in a jar of water with my wife. I planted them in the front yard and kept the one that really wanted to grow. It has become a tradition to take at least annual pictures of the grandkids to chart both growths. That was spring 2017, it was the first spring in the new house. The father-in-law always enjoyed seeing new pictures of how it was doing. He loved to garden, kept bees, and sold both at the local farmer's market. I say all of this to give context to how sentimental this tree is to me. Let me post a few pictures and then I will get into the meat of my question. The tree locations is about 20 miles SW of Oklahoma City.
![1694093012788.png 1694093012788.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794676-2c6b2442404e087fae30a96cd274dbc9.jpg)
![1694092784344.png 1694092784344.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794672-8ae1224fe87fe14c56d79d997143115c.jpg)
This picture would have been spring 2017. It was the first with this set of grandchildern. They are in most of the pictures since they are over to the house most of the time. They live on a 4th generation farm. The boy was going to help by hooking up the tractor and pulling it out for me.
![1694093546150.png 1694093546150.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794683-ca44e38e6447ce491068d5313f7af1d8.jpg)
Rare one with all the grandkids. June 2019
![1694093050358.png 1694093050358.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794678-b9ed9c98e3dbfbc464dd1fbeeded6320.jpg)
![1694093150033.png 1694093150033.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794679-6ad8621b7fedda01b1b9b851661f11e0.jpg)
You can see where it started to Y on me. I took a chance and cut one off, then train the other somewhat stright.
It turn out OK. Not perfect, but OK.
![1694093282748.png 1694093282748.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794680-aafc9ec99675d6c91dc05e36e8cba15c.jpg)
Here we are a few years down the road. May of 2021
![1694093364719.png 1694093364719.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794682-2be939450a9ae7b9c424ee99775f6adf.jpg)
Mother-in-law, July 4th, 2021
![1694093702862.png 1694093702862.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794686-adb2824d4f074351dedb925da9a46857.jpg)
This was taken last weekend. The grandson with mom and dad. Sep 2023.
Now back to the question. Since this guy started out with a Y, will the current lowest branch continue to rise from the ground? Right now the tree does favor the left side of the picture. If I cut the lower branches will that force the trunk part above to grow more into a trunk? I was told to do any work in February. That was when I took off half and straightened it up. Started to trim off those lower branches this February but I was afraid it would take off too much food producing. Is it too late to trim this coming February?
Let me zoom in on the area I am talking about.
![1694094072929.png 1694094072929.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794687-2567d8db1c3eabda3c4c01f13bc4f074.jpg)
This picture is facing west.
![1694094247106.png 1694094247106.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794689-fba96f00641a81b76d726cbc87dc524c.jpg)
This one is more northeast.
Just after my wife and I bought our new house my father-in-law gave us some saplings. He had several large oak trees and every year he would have to clean up under them. That spring he sent a few home in a jar of water with my wife. I planted them in the front yard and kept the one that really wanted to grow. It has become a tradition to take at least annual pictures of the grandkids to chart both growths. That was spring 2017, it was the first spring in the new house. The father-in-law always enjoyed seeing new pictures of how it was doing. He loved to garden, kept bees, and sold both at the local farmer's market. I say all of this to give context to how sentimental this tree is to me. Let me post a few pictures and then I will get into the meat of my question. The tree locations is about 20 miles SW of Oklahoma City.
![1694093012788.png 1694093012788.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794676-2c6b2442404e087fae30a96cd274dbc9.jpg)
![1694092784344.png 1694092784344.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794672-8ae1224fe87fe14c56d79d997143115c.jpg)
This picture would have been spring 2017. It was the first with this set of grandchildern. They are in most of the pictures since they are over to the house most of the time. They live on a 4th generation farm. The boy was going to help by hooking up the tractor and pulling it out for me.
![1694093546150.png 1694093546150.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794683-ca44e38e6447ce491068d5313f7af1d8.jpg)
Rare one with all the grandkids. June 2019
![1694093050358.png 1694093050358.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794678-b9ed9c98e3dbfbc464dd1fbeeded6320.jpg)
![1694093150033.png 1694093150033.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794679-6ad8621b7fedda01b1b9b851661f11e0.jpg)
You can see where it started to Y on me. I took a chance and cut one off, then train the other somewhat stright.
It turn out OK. Not perfect, but OK.
![1694093282748.png 1694093282748.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794680-aafc9ec99675d6c91dc05e36e8cba15c.jpg)
Here we are a few years down the road. May of 2021
![1694093364719.png 1694093364719.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794682-2be939450a9ae7b9c424ee99775f6adf.jpg)
Mother-in-law, July 4th, 2021
![1694093702862.png 1694093702862.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794686-adb2824d4f074351dedb925da9a46857.jpg)
This was taken last weekend. The grandson with mom and dad. Sep 2023.
Now back to the question. Since this guy started out with a Y, will the current lowest branch continue to rise from the ground? Right now the tree does favor the left side of the picture. If I cut the lower branches will that force the trunk part above to grow more into a trunk? I was told to do any work in February. That was when I took off half and straightened it up. Started to trim off those lower branches this February but I was afraid it would take off too much food producing. Is it too late to trim this coming February?
Let me zoom in on the area I am talking about.
![1694094072929.png 1694094072929.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794687-2567d8db1c3eabda3c4c01f13bc4f074.jpg)
This picture is facing west.
![1694094247106.png 1694094247106.png](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/arboristsite/data/attachments/794/794689-fba96f00641a81b76d726cbc87dc524c.jpg)
This one is more northeast.