The short answer is...NO. Topping has been a practice by many homeowners for many years. Although you may think you're doing your Live Oak Tree a favor by reducing its load, it is actually doing more harm than good. There are other alternatives than topping out a tree such as trimming, suckering, removing branches and if nothing else, removing the tree and planting a new one may be the better option.
Topping out a tree permanently takes away the natural structure of that tree. In addition, after taking off so much growth from that tree, it forces the tree into a "stress stage"-temporarily starving the tree. This, in turn, causes rapid regrowth of brittle, less dependable tree shoots that will likely break off onto a nearby structure such as a house in a future wind storm. Ultimately, this can lead to killing the tree, costing you more time and money.
If you've come to the idea of topping your tree, a honest and reputable tree company will educate you on other alternatives besides topping a tree. If a tree company recommends topping a tree, it may be best to get a second opinion.
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