Specialized Tree Care & Landscape, your provider of reliable tree service in Orange County, is here to help you make the most of your garden. In this post, we look at how to stop a tree from growing without killing it.
Is Your Tree Too Big?
In landscaping, a mature tree is a prize feature. It can even add value to your property. However, it’s not all sunshine and roses, especially if your tree’s getting too big for its roots. If you know anything about tree biology, you realize that you must act quickly.
You might need some corrective pruning if:
- The branches are nudging other trees or power lines
- There are limbs overhanging roofs or other structures
- You can see signs of damage to foundations, pavements, or fences
- The tree’s shade is making it impossible for anything else to grow
- There’s a risk of property damage if the tree falls
How To Stop a Tree From Growing Without Killing It
Determining whether your tree’s too big or not is subjective. You might want to know how to stop a tree from growing without killing it simply because it looks out of place. You have two basic options.
Pruning
Here, we’re referring to techniques that are safe for the tree. Please don’t top your tree, as this can kill it. Instead, you can use:
- Crown reduction to declutter the canopy. It’s less damaging than topping because you don’t remove the crown.
- Developmental pruning is when you start when the tree is young. It promotes good structure and branch formation.
Pruning is your go-to move for trees that are already too big for the space.
Plant Growth Regulators
Your other option is more effective if you start earlier in the tree’s lifespan. You can ask an arborist to prescribe hormones that inhibit the tree’s growth before its size becomes an issue. Experts inject these into the base of the tree periodically to slow the growth rate.
This is a better solution than topping the tree and possibly also pruning. However, you must start the treatment at the right stage. If you wait until the tree’s already outgrown the space, it’s too late.
The Best Solution
Naturally, the best way to avoid this issue is with careful planning. Whenever you decide to plant a sapling, look at how big it gets, how aggressive the roots are, and what it needs to thrive. You can take a shortcut by asking an arborist to advise you on this subject.
Then, choose the planting site very carefully. You want to consider how big the sapling will get and plant it far enough away from your structures and power lines.
Contact Our Team for Help in Controlling Your Trees
Specialized Tree Care & Landscape has a team of arborists who are skilled at taming wayward pines and other species. We know how to stop a tree from growing without killing it and other useful information, like when you need a tree removal permit.
Call us at (714) 649-4469 to schedule service today!
