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Update: A landscaper in my town said topping a tree is fine if the client asks for it | Arborists - Thought Shares

Update: A landscaper in my town said topping a tree is fine if the client asks for it

I was at the supply yard last week and heard a guy from a local landscaping crew tell his buddy, "If they want it flat on top, just give it to them, it grows back." That really got to me. In my experience, topping creates weak, fast-growing sprouts that are a hazard and stresses the tree. It might look okay to a client for a season, but it causes way more problems down the line. How do you guys handle a client who is set on a bad cut like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_wyatt7mo ago

Ugh that mindset drives me crazy lol. Had a client last year insist on it and the tree looks like a hot mess now, all those weak watersprouts.

oscarc125mo ago

Wait, the client actually insisted on that even after you warned them? That's wild to me. I've seen the aftermath on a few properties I've shown and those watersprouts are a nightmare, just snapping off in the first good storm. @blair_taylor32 I get wanting to keep things trimmed, but sometimes it's better to just let the tree be.