If the tree is actually growing thru the lines and the electric company thinks it is
dangerous, then it is best to simply remove the tree. southern dogwoods are dying
from anthracnose and having to cut one like that is going to make it an incubator for
disease that will be better able to spread to the rest of the dogwoods.
dogwoods are under story trees, they do best in hot climes under taller trees.
Ingrid

FACE wrote:
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


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