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 Botanic Garden >> Gardening >  >> Question and Answer >> About Gardening

Don't Top Sweetgums: It Creates Weak Growth, Doesn't Lower the Canopy—Replace Instead

Spindly sweetgums = grew in forest, now exposed. Topping = terrible idea.

Why Topping Fails

  • Branches only at top cut, not lower.
  • New growth weak, breaks easily.
  • Construction compaction may already be killing roots slowly.

Better Plan

Remove skinny sweetgums. Plant maples/oaks + dogwoods/redbuds/serviceberry for layered shade.

About Gardening
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