On Sep 4, 12:06*pm, Sheldon > wrote:
> On Sep 4, 9:05 am, Nancy2 > wrote:
>
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> > On Sep 3, 7:04 pm, Sue > wrote:
>
> > > Good points.
>
> > > I live in Massachusetts.
> > > Leaves have not yet started turning, and this starting happening a few
> > > weeks back.
> > > Some of them are more dried up than turning yellow.
>
> > > It is an English Walnut grafted onto a black walnut root.
> > > Best of both worlds hopefully.
>
> > > They cut the top off so they could ship it to me.
>
> > > Thanks'
> > > Ryan
>
> > I've never heard of a nursery lopping off the top (what would likely
> > be the main trunk) of a tree to ship it.
>
> Not only normal but advisable. *Severe pruning of young saplings
> ensure dense side growth and root development. *It's far more
> advantageous to promote prolific branching, increased trunk diameter,
> and a more developed root system than rapid tall spindly growth... the
> tree will be stronger, healthier, and will look better. *The growth
> rate of trees is most rapid during their first ten years, that's the
> most important period for shaping the tree to achieve its maximum
> growth. *When the tree is ready it will send up a new leader. *For the
> most attractive specimen trees it may be necesary to lop off the
> leader two more times over the first ten years.
>
> Black walnut becomes a very large tree, it's not advisable on the
> typical house lot.
>
> http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/j/jugnig/jugnig1.html- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I disagree, but that isn't unusual. I have several "very large" trees
on my urban lot - love them, plenty of space for them, great shade for
the west side (front) of my house.

Black walnut trees are beautiful and proper growth can be controlled
without taking the top off. For one thing, doing so is likely to
unbalance the tree, so if it doesn't sprout a new main center trunk
that can grow fast enough to keep up with the weight of side branches,
the side branches will put too much weight on the remaining trunk, and
the tree will split in half. I've seen it happen.

N.