Thanks for the answer and that is a valid question. A property i have had
for some years now had a dogwood planted near the house and walk which was
just fine for them and for several years afterward but has now reached it's
expected 25' and was in the utility lines coming into the house -- besides
just being oversized for it's position.

I never use a sealant for branch trimming but this morning i read that
topcuts were particularly inviting to disease invasion since they rotted
somewhat and so I thought that to tar it might be reasonable. Also, taking
that info, i considered that a bluntish angle cut might be a better idea
than a straight cut. The article gave no idea how to do top it, just that
to do so was a really, really, bad thing. :-)

As far as heighth, most of the standard southern dogwoods run to about 25
feet, with some cultivars like the Cherokee (?) being less. However, in a
wooded area i have one over 40 feet tall with about a five inch trunk. It
has been competing with pines to stay at the canopy top. It is losing. :-)

As far as the subject tree, I have cut the branches over the last few weeks
and have it in the shape that i want it, I still have not cut the 8 feet or
so of the trunk though.

FACE


On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 19:00:00 GMT, in rec.gardens wrote:

dont try to seal cuts on trees. I am truly surprised a dogwood would need heading
back since they dont grow all that tall. Ingrid

FACE wrote:

Since I am going to do it anyway, and have already trimmed the branches,
would someone tell me if I should make an angle cut or a straight cut and
should i tar it when reducing height by about 1/3 with a topping cut of the
main trunk on a dogwood. Or does it make any difference. (I already
realize that I will attract tornadoes, lightning strikes, earthquakes and
kill every living thing within a hundred yard radius of the tree and will
probably set up a domino effect of infestations that will blight the entire
Eastern seaboard.)

Thank you for non-scolding answers,

FACE sarcastic? me? ;-))



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