Question for the tree specialist here.

[pyrobow]

I live on 6 acres. Most our stands of Oak trees have large cedars in them. The cedar have crowded the oaks so much that all the oaks lean out. I have started cutting the cedars out. Leaving a big hole in the canopy.

My question is what do I do if the Oaks start sprouting a lot of limbs of the trunk. I want the canopy to fill in over time but not with hundreds of small limbs.

[jaspermac]

You will get epicormic branching where the sun hits the bole. You may want to prune them back. I like to prune hard every other year. Fertilize a couple times a year and they will fill in nice.

[Pstraw]

Big limbs come from small limbs. The ones that get the most sun will outgrow and shade the rest, naturally pruning themselves over time.

[Wigeon Kryp2nit]

Prune the small ones


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[3ChordTruth]

Prune the small ones


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X2

Sneak up on it by pruning the small ones at first a little at a time. You will see how fast the trees are filling in at the top where the cedars were.

[Kossetx]

It's a constant job. I don't know how many hours a spend every spring knocking off those suckers. Oaks just like to sprout limbs and some more than others.