I think we're pruning too many young trees in city parks

I've been watching a row of young oaks in Grant Park for about three years now, and the crew that comes through every spring cuts back almost half the new growth. The trees look neat, but they're barely any taller than when they were planted. I mean, maybe it's just me, but shouldn't we let them establish more before we start heavy shaping? Has anyone else seen slower growth from aggressive pruning on young trees?

4 comments

4 Comments

hannah_fox22d agoTop Commenter

Totally get what you're saying! I had a young maple in my yard that just wasn't growing. A local gardener told me to stop trimming it for two full years, just let it be wild. I was worried it would look messy, but it shot up like crazy once it could keep all its leaves. Now it's strong enough that I can shape it a little without hurting it. Sometimes you just gotta leave them alone to get started.

ryanpatel27d ago

It drives me nuts when they do that. Trees need those leaves to make food and grow strong. Cutting back so much every year just stresses them out when they should be putting down roots. I've seen it happen with the street trees in my neighborhood too, they stay stunted for years. Let the kids grow up a bit before giving them a haircut.

noah_webb27d ago

Disagree on this one. My buddy works for the city parks department and he says they top those young street trees for a reason. It forces them to grow a thicker trunk and stronger branches so they can handle storms and not snap later. They look rough for a couple years but end up way sturdier.

lee_martinez9722d ago

What does your buddy say about the trees that get topped and then just sprout a bunch of weak, crowded shoots? I've seen that happen a lot, and those new branches are way more likely to split off. It seems like a gamble that only pays off if you get perfect regrowth every time.