🚫 Why Tree Topping Is the Worst Thing You Can Do to a Tree | JL's Tree Service — Wellington County
If someone has quoted you a topping job, get a second opinion before you say yes. Topping removes a tree's main structural branches, triggering a stress response: rapid, weakly attached epicormic shoots that are far more likely to fail in wind or ice than the original branches. The tree looks managed. It isn't.
Here's what topping actually does:
• Starves the tree by removing the majority of its canopy
• Triggers epicormic regrowth with weak attachment points
• Creates large wounds that invite decay, disease, and pests
• Accelerates structural decline rather than preventing it
At JL's Tree Service, our ISA Certified Arborists assess every tree before recommending any work. If your tree is too large or overhanging your property, there are ISA-compliant alternatives — clearance pruning, crown cleaning, or targeted deadwooding — that address the real issue without the damage.
Topping isn't a solution. It's a problem deferred.
Serving homeowners and commercial properties across Wellington County, Fergus, Elora, Guelph, and surrounding areas.
👉 Been quoted a topping job? Book an assessment through our profile and let us give you an honest answer.
