Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Tree rocking?, 0 by 4paws

4paws wrote:
Thanks Guy, you definately pegged my ignornance in this area. I especially am not a climber or a chain saw operator. I've had tree people out to inspect, and that is how certain trees were limbed. Nothing was topped. No one mentioned any borers. The two main people (professional arborists - certified?? - maybe) who looked at the trees last year, and one did some work on them, said the big ones looked healthy except for some dead/broken limbs and danger from those overhanging the house (mostly now gone). The photo is of the big trees closest to the house and except for one, which apparently needs some special equipment to deal with because of its position, none now lean toward the house, which is to the left and just outside the photo.

I tried to cut down and dig out some of the smaller trees (8" diameter max) in another area, which did cause the root damage you talk about. I did this after small, thorny trees were cut down and sprouted a dozen more as result. Around the big trees, there are no such thorny babies. Only where I tried to cut/dig them out are the thorny smaller ones.

I must have read wrong; what I learned about pruning was that the 45 degree angles were stronger than the 90 in general. Perhaps I got it backwards?