Monday, May 12, 2008
Topping trees puts them at great risk
Tom Angleberger
The New River Valley-based reporter answers your questions Mondays in his column, What's on Your Mind?
Recent columns
Q: What do you know about the origin and purpose of the practice of cutting off the tops of shade trees? I see a lot of this where we live, in the New River Valley. To me, it seems like mutilation. But I wonder what professional arborists think of this rather widespread practice?
-- James A. Smith Jr., Narrows
A: I've directed a few past questions to Dan Henry, Roanoke's urban forester, and I thought I recalled a little tagline at the end of his e-mails: "DON'T TOP TREES."
Yes, he feels pretty strongly on this subject.
"Topping destroys the beauty of a tree," he wrote. "A healthy, naturally formed tree ... is a beautiful work of art. Topping destroys the intricate design of the canopy and renders it an offense to the eyes."
But the damage is more than just skin-deep.
"Topping a tree is the worst thing you can do to a tree," he warned. "You are damaging a tree beyond the point of repair when you top it."
When a tree is topped, it sends out a lot of little branches, he explained, but this is not a sign of invigoration. He calls it "survival mode."
"The health of the topped tree has been compromised by the loss of all the leaves on the original limbs. Leaves are the food factories of a tree, and when you cut them off, you are starving the tree."
So the tree panics and tries to shoot out new branches, or sprouts, to grow more leaves.
"These sprouts are not the same as limbs and never will be as strong or useful as the original limbs."
Meanwhile, the "wounds" from the topping are letting parts of the tree decay.
So why do tree companies top trees?
"Topping a tree is the simplest procedure that can be done on a tree and requires less skill than proper pruning. It creates a dramatic change in the tree, so the customer thinks they are getting a lot for the money."
"Unfortunately, a lot of tree companies are run by people who know very little about trees," complained Henry, who advises that you make sure you're working with an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist.
Henry goes so far as to suggest that a tree be cut down rather than topped.
"If you have a tree on your property that is truly too tall or too large for the space, you are much better off removing the tree and planting something more suitable."
Hopefully, it won't come to that. I have a sycamore in my yard that was topped before we moved here and, even though it has its problems, I'm very glad it's still there.
Q: Are there local places that will sell stuff on eBay for you?
-- Carol Golladay, Salem
A: Charlotte's Web, an antique store on Main Street in downtown Salem, offers an eBay service. But it's not for just any old "stuff."
Nancy Lough, who runs the eBay service, explained that because of the effort required, she only handles items that are expected to sell for $200 or more, such as clocks, radios, sets of dishes and small furniture.
The store charges a $25 fee for the listing of the item and then keeps 30 percent of the price if it sells. In return they'll deal with the buyer and handle the shipping.
Quick Stop Auctions in Christiansburg will sell your items that fit in with the focus of their business: scientific, medical, audio-visual and business equipment. Their minimum value amount is about $50.
And there's another way of reaching some eBay bidders. Ken Farmer Auctions & Appraisals in Radford is part of eBay's Live Auctions Program. This means when the auctioneer offers an item to bidders at an event in Radford, eBay users can bid on it, too.
Note: If I missed your eBay consignment service, drop me a line and I'll mention it next week.
If you've got a question, just drop me a line. Please note my new e-mail address before you write. It's WhatsOnYourMind @roanoke.com or, if you're in a hurry, you may use the abbreviation, woym@roanoke.com. Or you may call 777-6476 to leave a message on my voicemail. Please be sure to speak clearly and give me your name, location and phone number. And please spell your name. You may think it's simple to spell, but I need all the help I can get.
Look for Tom Angleberger's column on Mondays.
