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COPPICING
For trees that are hopelessly deformed, a severe form of
corrective pruning called coppicing is used.
Whereas, normal pruning removes side branches or
competing leaders, to coppice is to cut the tree
completely off close to the ground. This is best done
during the dormant period (winter) when the tree has
stored most of its sugars (energy) in its roots.
Several sprouts will grow up from the stump in the
spring. If this coppiced tree was two or more inches in
diameter, then the resulting sprouts usually grow
four to eight feet high in their first growing season,
depending upon precipitation. These sprouts should be
revisited in the next two or three years to select the
best sprout and remove the rest.
Coppicing is very effective with oaks and most other
hardwoods; it does not work for conifers like pine or
spruce. Also, if hardwoods are too old, this procedure
is not as effective. It is best used on hardwoods
between two and six inches in diameter. These
sizes assure that the tree has established a
sufficient root system to support replacing its stem and
that it is young and vigorous enough to withstand this
shock.
Another purpose of coppicing, although less
frequently used, is to shock a stunted tree into a new
surge of growth. Some oak trees struggle in the
understory; they are only two inches in diameter and
yet 30 years old because of the lack of sunlight. If
the canopy is thinned (opened up) so that more
sunlight reaches the understory and these suppressed
understory trees are coppiced, they may respond by
re-growing their stems and establishing a faster
growth pace.
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