Don’t do it!
Tree topping is a terrible idea for many reasons. I calmly explained this to one homeowner who called me in about his lawns. His mossy lawns need to be renovated and we’ll cover this in my next blog post so come back soon.
After we went over his lawns the homeowner casually mentioned that he wanted his evergreen topped just like his neighbour. Oh, man, that was a terrible idea but I didn’t say it like that. I said the evergreen was the best thing on his property and it looked beautiful.
Worried
Now, this homeowner was worried about his evergreen toppling over because he recently had a deciduous tree fail in his backyard. And I can understand his worries, considering that his house sits up high in the Westwood plateau in Coquitlam, British Columbia. It does get windy there.
So, I suggested having a tree risk assessment done on the evergreen. A simple verbal assessment costs around C$120, and a full tree risk assessment with a written report is just under C$600. That would still be cheaper than bringing in a tree company with a bucket truck to top the tree. And the tree company should still try to talk him out of it. Assuming they care about trees and not just their bottom line.
It was obviously easier for me to decline the work because I can’t reach the top anyway.
Having a tree risk assessment done should ease the man’s worries.
Bylaws
Now, the city of Coquitlam is very serious about protecting their trees. They consider tree topping as damage and you must therefore apply for a permit. I have no idea how much that would cost but I’m sure paying C$600 for a full assessment would be cheaper. The man’s neighbour had his tree topped so he will know. Unless, of course, he didn’t get a permit. It wouldn’t surprise me.
Which tree do you prefer?
Tree topping sucks
Tree topping is a terrible idea for many reasons. The ISA publishes a full booklet on it. For me, the awful look is obvious. The topped tree on the left of the picture looks like a lollipop. I much prefer the natural looking evergreen on the right.
Normally the tree responds to topping by pushing out new growth so now you’re stuck pruning every year. I would consider removing the tree completely instead of topping it. A tree risk assessment should give you a good idea of how likely the tree is to fail; not a definitive idea because this tree could be an exception but still, let the experts talk first.
Don’t top your trees!
