Lynn,
Unrestrained top growth should do the trick for all trees that I have worked
with. Can't think of one that did not work that way.
Jerry Meislik

Hmmmm. That's a tough one. Obviously, the more foliage, the more
transpiration, and the easier to overwhelm a weak root system.
However, if you put the tree in a high-humidity tent, which would
minimize transpiration, would greater foliage improve root growth?
There would be more energy available for growth, but as I explained a
couple weeks ago, sugar is moved in plants using a "source-sink"
mechanism, so sugar won't move to where a potential root *ought* to
be, only to a new, actively growing root. Besides, some research
shows that high sugar concentration inhibits lateral root development.

And how do you get root initiation? By the action of hormones.
Auxin, produced by apical meristems of shoots stimulates lateral root
growth. So if you prune the top growth, you will temporarily be
reducing auxin, although as soon as back-budding occurs, and all the
new branches begin to grow, the amount of auxin will be increased.

So a tree that buds back quickly and easily would probably produce
new roots rapidly, too. However, if a tree was in real trouble, it
might be better to leave the strong apical meristems in place. I
don't know; I'm afraid I'd be stuck with trial and error.
--
Nina Shishkoff

Frederick, MD

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