Tree in distress following pruning?

[Newarbie]

Hi everyone

 

I have a robinia black locust tree in my backyard. Last year in late winter when it was still bare I had part of the tree overhang pruned back due to complaints as it was encroaching the neighbour's property. The tree was pruned back about 10-15% in total on one side. Soon after in spring, the tree threw up suckers everywhere which I managed to control by pulling out of the ground one by one. But I noticed that the canopy did not grow back to the thickness/denseness as before but just thought it was due to the tree sending all its energy producing suckers as a defence mechanism from the pruning. I was hoping the thickness/leafiness would return but it's now the second spring (I'm in Australia) since the prune and the tree, while not producing suckers anymore, has not returned to its original thick lush canopy. There are branches that are still bare - see photo. Does anyone know if the tree has sustained permanent damage due to the pruning or if it'll just take a couple more years to return to its original state? Is there anything I can do to help the tree?

 

Thanks in advance.

[George Gorman]

You've taken away the trees roots too much and it's not getting the correct amount of nutrients to survive.

 

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[Stubby]

You've taken away the trees roots too much and it's not getting the correct amount of nutrients to survive.

 

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Don't think he pruned the roots did he ?

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Any chance your neighbour has poisoned it?

[easy-lift guy]

Considered feeding the tree?.

easy-lift guy

[Gary Prentice]

Is there room to mulch below the canopy to improve the rooting environment?

[elicokiz]

Perhaps when the suckers were pulled up the root system relating to that section of the canopy was damaged. The Active flow system disrupted? Just a theory?

[George Gorman]

I'm with you on that theory Gary

 

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[easy-lift guy]

Perhaps when the suckers were pulled up the root system relating to that section of the canopy was damaged. The Active flow system disrupted? Just a theory?

 

The root system should be 3 times the size of the canopy. Due to the stress of the pruning work that was done the suckers were a natural response.

Start feeding the tree now.

easy-lift guy

[OakStag]

3 times? I always beileved 1.5- 2.5 times the size of the canopy I recommend feeding it however

 

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