To chop or not to chop

Wednesday, 8:22 am

By Kate

Jun

22

2005

I have been trying, for 3 years, to get these two dogwood trees to grow. Until three weeks ago, I was certain this one was finally dead. And then it started sprouting leaves. Not very many, but it’s still alive.

I kinda hate to dig it out and replace it, if there is any hope. But, looking at it, I’m not too sure there is much hope. Still, perhaps if I prune it back hard, it may turn out like the one below…

This is my other dogwood tree, which looked a lot like the other one until I pruned it back last year. It wasn’t as bad as the other tree, but it was obviously very sick. A nurseryman told me to chop it back nearly to the trunk. Even when there are a lot of dead branches, the tree still tries to feed them and it takes up precious energy and tree resources. The fewer branches there are, the more the tree can invest in new growth. I was skeptical, but I pruned it severely. It seems to have worked, although I’m not quite prepared to say the tree is completely out of the woods yet.

But the top tree...I don’t know. I’d like it to grow and be healthy, but I’m also getting a little tired of coaxing it along, inch by inch. I’d really just like a tree that grows. Nevertheless, it’s alive and the challenge is almost too much to pass up....