Tree Topping

[joyce monty]

Hi! I need some advice about how to top a tree, and what to expect if any one knows. We recently got a very bad ice storm where I live and I've got a lot of branches down off of my Chinese Elm tree. There were mainly top branches. I'm going to have to go in and either hire a professional, or take my trusty chainsaw to work myself. The tree is approximately 25 feet tall, and the branch ends left on the trunk are pretty shattered. If I have to clean these ends up, should I cut them on a flat line, or should I angle them? Also, how many branches can a tree actually loose before it's pretty much going to die no matter what you do for it? Thanks for any help anyone can give me!!!

 

[ArborView]

Go easy on her boys.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

What AV means is that Topping is a dirty word among competant tree proffesionals. It is butchery in it's worst form.

I think it best to get a pro to look at it to see if it is worth saving or repacement is a beter option. You could start replacement now by growing a tree under it and removing the damaged one when the new one comes to a good size. More expensive, but keeps the shade.

How much crown can a tree loose? It depends on age and vitality. A young tree loosing 25% is nothing where an old one lossing that could put it into decline.

Do you realy want to be 15-20 feet off the ground with a chainsaw? Does your family? Our workmans comp rate is from 30-45% of payroll, depending on region. Gives you an idea what the actuaries think about the risk.

look here to find an ISA member.
http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/arborists/arbsearch.html

 

[Toddppm]

I'll try Arborview
As soon as I got done reading this I looked up and saw on the news the ice storm in that area.WOW 2 1/2 " of ice in some areas!
I'm sure alot of trees fell apart, but you're tree was giving you an preview of what's to come in it's life. They are weak wooded and probably ripped the bark past where it broke off making the problem worse. I don't blame you for wanting to keep a mature tree but I would just cut it down and start over, your Ins. might even pay to do that if It damaged something in the process of falling apart.
If you want to keep it you should cut back all the broken limbs back to the branch collar, a natural ridge at the point where it meets the trunk or branch it's growing from. Sometimes on the bigger branches you're not going to have any laterals to cut to and just have to take a shot at cutting where it might bud out and maybe cut it back further later. That tree grows like a weed and it will probably grow right back in the spring, but it will grow very fast and these shoots will usually be very weakly attached, it could be trained back into a natural shape over the years by thinning out the shoots, but it might start to decay at some of the larger cuts. Hard to explain in writing someone here may have a site with pictures.
Still think you should just replace it though