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Before you go out and top that tree in your yard, consider these eight reasons why you should not!!!

Topping a tree removes too large a portion of the tree's crown inhibiting its food making capacity through photosynthesis.

Topping a tree exposes sheltered limbs and foliage to immediate direct sun. These internal parts are not used to this amount of sunlight and scalding may occur.

When you top a tree, you generally cut back to larger limbs. The wounds at these stubs are very difficult, if not impossible, for the tree to heal. These ends become susceptible to fungal rot, decay, and insect infestation.

The limbs that grow in response to "topping" cuts, are weakly attached, and are more likely to fail in the event of strong winds or heavy snow.

The reason why most trees are topped is because they are too tall. Yet, topping a tree does just the opposite. The resulting shoots that grow in response to topping cuts elongate much faster and further than normal growth. The height you wished to eliminate will very quickly be replaced, but now with a much wilder and unnattractive display of growth.

Many younger trees and certain species do not tolerate the wounds created by topping and death will result.

Topping a tree is mutilating a tree!! Once a tree is topped it never regains its former majestic beauty and vigor.

Hiring an unskilled laborer to top your tree is certainly easier and much less expensive than hiring an arborist to make proper pruning cuts that require knowledge and experience, but you will pay in the long run:

*reduced property value from loss of trees

*removal/replacement cost of dead trees

*liability risk from weakened limbs

*increased costs of maintenance in the future

Think before topping!! Call us today, and discover what a difference it makes to have a certified arborist care for your trees

(based upon article by Arbor Day Foundation)