My old foreman said to never top a maple, but the new crew boss insisted it was fine
About five years back, I was on a job in Springfield removing a big silver maple. My old foreman, Pete, always drilled into us, 'You never top a maple, you'll get a mess of weak water sprouts.' The new crew boss, hired from a different company, said it was the fastest way to reduce the crown and that the sprouts were easy to manage. We topped it. Two summers later, the homeowner called us back because the tree had sent up over two dozen thick, poorly attached shoots, and one had already torn out in a storm. Now I'm stuck between the old-school rule and the newer, speed-focused method. For those who've seen both sides, which approach holds up better long term?