It's a warm May in Vancouver, and I was wondering if it's okay to top 7 ft off a 32 ft holly, and prune the sides. If not, I guess I should wait?
It's never a good time to top trees, that's very discredited practice and leads to major safety problems in the future. Let it keep its natural crown shape, or - as Holly is an invasive weed tree in the Vancouver area - remove it completely, and plant something else in its place.
Being that holly appears to be quite resilient, is there anyone who knows specifically, from experience, what a holly tree of this size will do if it's topped, in a may spring that is around 16 degrees C? Any expert advice, or personal experiences would help. generalities don't convince me of anything, sorry but a general response "never a good time to top trees" is way too general to me. I'm specifically speaking of a 32 ft high, healthy, vigorously still growing holly in this mild Vancouver climate. I certainly would not remove such a large tree, it's very nice, just needs to be reduced as it's really getting bigger than the garden space it's in. I'm trying to extend its usefullness in this space. Ideally to be no more than 25 ft would be nice. I think if I end up topping it, I'll have to keep doing so every two years. I have two other deciduous trees by my house I've topped many times, to keep them from getting bigger than the 2 storey house. Works well, I top them every year! So topping is NOT always, obviously from experience, an issue with some trees.
Holly is very tolerant, you can cut it to the ground and it will grow back - I wouldn't worry about the fine details of the timing etc. Especially since, as indicated above this operation represents an assault on the structural integrity of the tree - so in a sense it is kind of like you are asking when is a good time to cut somebody's arm off? Depending on what specific kind they are, your deciduous trees could be a different story entirely. There could be interior wood decay or other issues developing as a result of the repeated topping that you are not aware of. http://www.plantamnesty.org/assets/docs/Cyberlibrary/Trees/5reasonstostoptopping-brochure.pdf
thanks Ron, I checked the link now that you mention it. wow, didn't know it'd grow back so fast. i'll probably leave it alone then. kelly
Hollies are always slow growing, but it will grow back. Since it is off in the woods maybe you can just leave it alone, instead of somebody having to climb up in it and give it a flat top.
my experience (we share a giant weed holly in our neighbor property line) is that any cuts (topping) results in a square top and lots of future tops (many leaders) - basically it looks like a buzz cut from the military barber shop. Not my choice of thing to do to a tree no matter what. a couple of thoughts other than above point 1. does yours have red berries? if it does (yes) - and the leaves are nice - then why not cut it in winter before Xmas - and either sell or donate the holly 2. birds - this is nesting season and I notice the small garden birds like the overgrown ubiquitous shrubs / hedges that make most of us garden design amateurs cringe - like the pyramid cedars and the holly etc. So I would hesitate to cut at this time of year here in the coastal Pac NW. (that said - if your holly has berries - they like those too in the winter do they? I know our coast garden birds eat the mountain ash and elderberries) If one day you do decide to completely remove this holly - I know some fine woodworkers who like good old solid holly trunks. So check around instead of getting it shredded up in that noisy tree service truck.
