I always thought topping was fine for a quick fix until this big maple job

Tbh, I topped a client's silver maple in Springfield last fall because they wanted it done fast and cheap. Ngl, it looked awful by spring, with a ton of weak, crowded water sprouts. My old boss saw it and told me, 'You just gave that tree a lifetime of problems.' Honestly, that stuck with me. Has anyone else had a job that made them totally switch up their approach to a common practice?

3 comments

3 Comments

williamt441mo ago

Look at my neighbor's topped oak from five years ago. The thing is still alive and full of leaves, just looks a bit wild. Sure, water sprouts are a pain, but a lifetime of problems? That feels a bit much. Sometimes a client's budget and wishes just force your hand, right? What's the actual worst case you've seen from a topping job?

sarah_hart1mo ago

Still alive" is a pretty low bar for tree health. It's like saying a car with no brakes is still a car. The worst case is always a massive failure when those weak spots give out.

tyler_hall91mo ago

Oh man, that "still alive" part is doing some heavy lifting. Worst case? How about a giant limb, full of those weak water sprouts and rotten from the inside, crashing through a roof during a storm? Seen it. The tree was "alive" right up until it wasn't, and then it was a very expensive problem. Sure, budgets force bad cuts sometimes, but let's not pretend it's a good fix. It's just kicking the can down the road until the bill comes due.