I used to say every tree needs a 3-point crown reduction. Not anymore.

For years I did the standard crown reduction on every oak and maple that came through my crew in Nashville. Then about 2 years ago I had a call back on a pin oak where the cuts just didn't heal right. Talked to an old timer at a regional workshop who showed me how the tree was telling me it wanted a more natural shape left alone. Now I only do reductions when there's a real structural reason, not just because the customer wants it shorter. Anyone else had a job where leaving more wood actually saved you time later?

2 comments

2 Comments

ruby4508h ago

Man, that hits close to home. Totally agree with you and @rowan725 on this - I've seen the same thing with some pin oaks I worked on a few years back. You start cutting to make them look tidy and before you know it you're creating more problems than you're solving. Those trees just want to do their thing most of the time. It's wild how leaving them be can actually cut down on your headache later.

rowan7251d ago

Had a buddy in Chattanooga who trimmed a row of silver maples for a lady who wanted them "shaped up" every year. After three years he noticed the trees were dropping more deadwood in storms than before he started. He stopped doing yearly reductions on them, just cleaned out the dead stuff. Two years later his phone stopped ringing about branch failures from that property.