Reshaping Olive Stumps into Attractive, Functional Bushes

From 25-Foot Trees to 5-Foot Stumps: Pruning for Shape and Sidewalk Clearance

After insurance-mandated removal of two large olive trees, the remaining 5-foot stumps have sprouted dense, full bushes encroaching on the sidewalk. The goal: create a shapely, bird-friendly screen without blocking the path.

Pruning Strategy

• Ideal form: Clear the lower 6 feet of branches to allow walking underneath — but that ship has sailed.
• Current fix: If bushes are >3 feet from the path, shear them back to the property line, shaping into a uniform, rounded mound.
• Timing: Late winter/early spring or late summer/early fall.

When Removal Is Better

If the bush grows right to the sidewalk edge, hard pruning may leave a bare, woody mass. In that case, removal and replacement with a narrower evergreen may be wiser.