oops! I trimmed too many branches

[sallyf]

After building an addition on our house, our contractor offered to cut off all of the lower branches on the two Sequoia trees that are next to our house in the southern California Mountains. I wanted to leave some of the lower branches to shade the hammock that we like to sling between the two trees, but he convinced me that the upper branches would provide enough shade. It turns out however, that the sun comes in a such an angle (at least in winter) that there is no shade over the hammock at any time of day. I am hoping the situation will be better in the summer, when the sun is higher in the sky, but even in the summer, I know the sun will still be 10 degrees south of straight overhead.

Is there anything I can do to encourage the tree to regrow new branches where the old ones were cut? I saw a pine tree down the street that had new growth spouting near the stumps of old branches connected to the main trunk. Do Sequioas ever do this? Can I somehow encourage it?

I expect that the upper branches will eventually spread themselves downward a bit
to access the sunlight that the lower branches used to receive, but I think they'd have to spread down a long way before they will shade my hammock.

Any recommendations?

Sadly,

sally f

 

[treeseer]

Keeping the roots healthy is job #1.

Sorry you listened to your contractor; next tree job I do maybe I oughta offer to remove part of the house...

 

[cuttingintime]

Sorry for your misfortune. Please believe me I am know expert but the stump you saw down the street likely grew a few shoots trying to survive, unlikely. In general cutting the top out of some plants or trees will cause or encourage growth along the stock. This would probable be a bigger mistake than first one. I would simply give it some time, in all likelihood the trees will demonstrate new growth.