On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 00:27:41 GMT, figaro wrote:


Calling it a myth is a little arrogant.

While I bow to your professional expertise, there is scientific evidence to
support both claims.

My tree experience has been mostly with bonsai where it is accepted practice
to significantly trim the tree roots to keep the plant in a dwarf form--and
this, in turn, requires an equal trimming of the foliage or it is very
likely the plant will die. I agree that in landscape trees where you are
removing only a few roots there is usually not a need to trim the branches.
However, if you are removing significant roots, even from a landscape tree,
I'm sure you will agree that the drought stress may be too much for a tree
to recover and the tree will die. I have found, through personal
experience, that trimming the branches of a tree that has been
root-compromised is an excellent way to prevent death. I am not the only
person who feels this way; many professional horticulturists agree with this
assessment.

In the future, I would appreciate it if you disagreed politely instead of
throwing around your "ISA Certified Arborist" as if nobody else could
possibly have anything of substance to say. I have met many professional
horticulturists who were dead wrong about many issues, mostly because they
were following old beliefs and not keeping current with the science.

I'm sorry if you felt this was rude or arrogant. In a discussion, I
generally feel free to add my opinion as I see fit. If you disagree,
you are obviously able to say so.

A few decades ago, arborists were taught that branches should be
removed flush to the trunk and all wounds should be sealed, among
other now discredited notions. I may be wrong. Surely we all know
that's the chance you take when you get info from Usenet.

I add my CA credential to posts about trees to let people know I have
studied research, attended seminars, and otherwise educated myself
about trees. I do not claim that makes me infallible, but I do
believe I am more reliable when it comes to trees than Farmer Joe who
tops trees cuz his daddy did. I also include my sig with a link to
the ISA's consumer info site, where you can check up on me if you care
to (though I don't think this specific question is addressed there).
I do not know what your level of expertise is, nor do I discount your
oipinions out of hand, but I have been taught that this "take off
branches to compensate for root loss" thing is a myth. Your comments
about bonsai are intriguing and I am rethinking the whole thing in
light of them, but I still think landscape trees are a whole nuther
world. I'm inclined to think if you remove enough roots to cause this
sort of response in a landscape tree, you're looking at trouble
regardless of what you do to the branches. I'm not quite willing to
retract my statements yet, but I apologize if you felt I was
suggesting you had nothing of value to say. Stay tuned.

Keith