Trimming the new trees on Alabama, 107th, etc

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by IndependentCynic, Apr 25, 2019.

  1. IndependentCynic

    IndependentCynic Active Member

    I frequently travel these streets. Over the past couple years the County cut down the citrus trees which lined the medians, replaced some of the grass with crushed stone, and installed sprinkler irrigation to replace the old flood irrigation system.

    The County/Prides then planted maybe 100 trees lining the medians. Unrelated, about the same time I had some overly mature trees removed from my yard and I planted replacement trees similar in size to those being planted on the medians. Both mine and the median trees were staked with the same type of stake, but mine were tied to allow some trunk movement, the median trees were were more tightly tied. The median trees are irrigated somewhat frequently, mine were deep soaked starting with once a week, then every other week after a few months, now only when they look like they need it.

    On the medians I've noticed the trees, in general, don't particularly look like they're thriving and most still need support from the stakes. They've been repeatedly trimmed so that only a few limbs remain at the top.

    In contrast, the two growers I bought my trees from both explicitly told me to not trim my trees for the first two years (except to remove weather damaged limbs) so they had time to develop good roots. My trees seem healthy and have grown considerably taller than those in the medians and their trunk caliper is considerably larger than the median trees.

    Seeing the difference, I wonder what the objective is in pruning the median trees so heavily? I wonder if their lack of foliage from the frequent pruning is the reason they are so spindly? Or, perhaps I'm just way off base and everything's ok and they are really healthier than they look?
     

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