looknup: You could cut the tree down to about half it's current height and hold it there with regular summer pruning. However it would be difficult to reduce the width too drastically at the same time. This is still going to leave you with about the same area shaded by the tree. If you prune very hard and dilligently for 4-5 yrs then you could probably reduce the "footprint" by a significant amount. One advantage of doing this on cherry is that the harvest is early. So there would be plenty of time to cut the tree back after harvest. I'm cutting back a Gala apple. Probably removed about 1/3 of the top about a month ago after harvest. There has been no regrowth so far. I'm sure there will be some strong shoots next spring from the area of the major cuts. I'll remove those next spring/summer as needed to keep the middle of the tree open. I think it's worth trying on your tree. If it doesn't work or is too much work, you can take more drastic action later. The Fruitnut

ken_adrian wrote: "i am wondering of this is an invasive callery pear ..." What is a callery pear? "no where is it stated it was a fruit bearing plant ..." It did bear fruit. "and being self sown under a power line.. sure brings a birds butt into thought ..." I don't know whether it was self-sown--I just know it's probably at least 50 years old. "second.. that is the utility easement that it is planted in .. the utility has every right to clear the lines ... that is why it is called an easement ... it on your mortgage documents ..." Can you please tell me why, for the past 35 years, they never had a problem with the tree, and in fact never even attempted to trim it? "all trees.. continue to grow upwards.. they only stop growing up.. when they die" Are you saying that no fruit tree has a maximum height? "... to say it was 50 feet.." Huh? Who said that? "and not going to grow any higher... is not consistent with how trees grow ..." In the past 35 years, it hasn't grown much taller. So, if it was getting taller, it was doing so very slowly, and the tree was not even close to reaching the power lines. "if you lived in snow country ... where a 2 or 3 day power loss in winter is possible .. when its zero outside ... you would not be happy.. if the utility did not proper clear lines to insure power .. especially if its an ice storm ... we kinda have a different view up here in MI ... about proper maintenance of utilities ..." If a tree is a genuine threat to the power lines, I can understand. But if this tree was such a "threat," then why did the power company completely ignore it for 35 years? "as far as i am concerned.. the only thing they did wrong.. was not kill the stump ..." Heh heh. I'm glad they didn't. ;) Besides, they seem way too lazy to do a thorough job anyway. They cut a bunch of branches, left them lying all over the place, and then didn't bother to clean anything up until we nagged them, and they did a good bit of littering as well.

Carol--- If I have a pair of loppers shoved down my pants....does that count as a concealed weapon? Ann-- If I start talking about aliens....will I be sent to the cell that houses the town drunk? :o) Seriously though....should I just douse the plants with the Round-up or do I need to cut it back? I purchased a big old jug of Roundup® Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Plus in the Ready-To-Use Formula. This is supposed to do better on woody stemmed brush. What do you think??

That would make sense. The soil was VERY compacted, and we had tons of heavy rains during construction, which of course completely ceased once we moved in. I watered lightly every day, but it was super windy last fall and winter. Right now, I can get a smaller tree at Home Depot for like, 15 to 20 bucks, so I can afford that. As for the kind of tree, I have zero idea. they never told us, but I'll go take a pic of the one that's doing well, and maybe that will give some hints as to what it is.