Question
QUESTION: I inherited 3 Raywood ash trees from a fried. They are about 15 feet tall already and are in large planter boxes. I want to plant in my back yard (all min of 20 feet for the homes foundation-learned something already:), but i was worried the roots would either break the sprinkler lines (3 feet deep) and or the block wall that surrounds my house.

Is this accurate?
Would they live if i planted them in their boxes to maintain the size of the tree and the roots?

ANSWER: By all means take the tree out of the box. It is or beginning to get root bound in the box. Dig the hole twice the size of the root ball and as deep and fill with good top soil or potting soil. Mulch around the tree with not more than 3 inches deep of organic mulch not piled up on the trunk. The roots will not be a problem to the sprinkler lines. Most of the roots will be in the first 2 feet and trees rarely harm pipes unless there is a leak and then the roots will grow toward the leak. This tree has a spread of about 25 feet meaning the branches will extend out from the trunk 12-15 feet. Roots of this tree usually are not a problem with foundation or walls so that should not be a concern. Planting away from the house is good for potental root problems and keeping the branches from rubbing the house. Sounds like you understand about this.

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QUESTION: Ok. This is very helpful. One last question before I plant... When pruning and trimming these trees are there any paticulars I need to know about. I would like to keep this large tree somewhat under wraps. Will it be ok to keep topped at about 20 feet tall? Also, I would like to have a slightly smaller canopy at about 10-15 feet wide maximum. Will these trees stay happy and healthy if pruned to these dimensions?

Answer
No topping is one of the worst things you can do for a tree. Topping is the drastic removal or cutting back of large branches in mature trees. The tree is pruned much as a hedge is sheared and the main branches are cut to stubs. Topping is also referred to as heading, stubbing or dehorning.

Topping can injure a tree in the following ways:


Removing much of the tree canopy upsets the crown-to-root ratio and seriously affects the tree's food supply. A 20-year-old tree has developed 20 years worth of leaf surface area. This leaf surface is needed to manufacture sufficient food to feed and support 20 years worth of branches, trunks, and roots. Topping not only cuts off a major portion of the tree's food-making potential. It also severely depletes the tree's stored reserves. It is an open invitation for the tree's slow starvation.


Removing the tree's normal canopy suddenly exposes the bark to the sun's direct rays, often scalding the newly exposed open bark.

Topping removes all the existing buds, which would ordinarily produce normal sturdy branches.


Large branch stubs left from topping seldom close or callus. Nutrients are no longer transported to the large stubs and that part of the tree becomes unable to seal off the injury. This leaves the stubs vulnerable to insect invasion and fungal decay. Once decay has begun in a branch stub, it may spread into the main trunk, ultimately killing the tree. Fruiting bodies of decay fungi are often visible on the bark of decaying trees.


Topping stimulates the regrowth of dense, upright branches just below the pruning cut. These new shoots, referred to as "suckers" or "water sprouts," are not as structurally sound as are the naturally occurring branches. These water sprouts often consist of succulent growth which is more susceptible to diseases such as fire blight (rosaceous trees) and herbivorous insects such as aphids and caterpillars.


Since water sprout regrowth is generally rapid and vigorous, a topped tree often will grow back to its original height faster and denser than a tree that has been properly pruned or thinned. This makes topping, at best, only a temporary solution to oversized trees.


Some tree species (e.g., sugar maple. oak and beech) do not readily produce water sprouts. Without the resulting foliage, a bare trunk results and the tree quickly dies.


Deteriorating branch stubs, along with weak water sprout growth, make topped trees highly vulnerable to wind and ice damage.


From an aesthetics aspect, topping disfigures the tree. Unsightly branch stubs, conspicuous pruning cuts and a broom-like branch growth replace its natural beauty and form. The practice of topping probably started in Europe where people did not really want shade trees, but instead wanted trees that would still allow the sun to shine in their gardens. Species used there such as London plane and linden can survive many such toppings. Topped trees are unnatural substitutes for shade trees meant to offer several lifetimes of beauty and enjoyment.

Reduction reduces the size of a tree can be done but it should be started with young trees. It involves cutting the branches back to a main branch and in turn reducing the overall size. Here is a web link to this reductiuon with pictures, http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/pruning_mature.aspx