Rowan Tree

claudeine

I have a 3 years old Rowan Tree. It has grown to about 8ft. But there are quite a few thin branches crossing over each other it all looks a bit all over the place. Should I cut the thin branches off also would it be ok to cut a foot or two off the top of the tree.

fidgetbones

Cutting the top off will make it branch more.  You have the wrong tree if you want it to stay at 8ft. It is always good practice to cut off spindly branches that rub across another branch. The rubbing provides an entry point for infections.

claudeine

Many thanks for your reply.  I thought if I cut some off the top it would make the branches stronger maybe.

nutcutlet

cutting the top off would make for an ugly shaped tree which is what often happens in gardens. 

Dovefromabove

You beat me to it ... I was just going to say that @nutcutlet

KT53

From my experience, rowan are fairly slow growing so it would take a long time to regain decent shape if you chopped the top out.

Guernsey Donkey2

I would advise not to cut any part of the tree now, but to wait until the winter, say December to February providing the weather isn't actually freezing.  No trees should ideally be pruned in the growing season.  At least wait until the leaves have dropped off, then it will be easier to see which branches need to be removed and I agree that the top of a tree should not be removed, a tree is not like some shrubs that can be pruned to shape them.

claudeine

Thankyou for all your replies much appreciated. My tree is covered in blossom at the moment. So I will leave doing anything until winter now.

DampGardenMan

Guernsey Donkey2 said:

No trees should ideally be pruned in the growing season.

Except cherries I think? "Prune in June" was what a tree surgeon told me ...