can you really trim tops of trees without killing them

[hotzcatz]

Depending on your area, trees can be severely pruned and not die. We routinely chop the coffee trees down to about 2' so they will resprout where it's easier to pick the coffee. It's more of a tropical than a four season sort of plant, though. There was a yahoo from somewhere else who was claiming to be an 'arborist' and cutting trees down and thinking that was enough to kill them. All that did was make them regrow and become very bushy. So, things are all dependent on area.

Here's an online source for a variety of trees and you can get them grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock: https://baylaurelnursery.com/ I've ordered a lot of different trees from them since we have very little winter chill time around here so trees that bear fruit are fussy. If you look at the different rootstock options, you'll be able to select a tree that will stay small.

[ihatetodust]

thanks all sorry I am just now getting back to read these.

[ihatetodust]

Oleander as was rule out to being poisonous.I will have to look at some of these links.

[Thundarr457]

where are you?

[JONOV]

Originally Posted by ihatetodust

Thanks, all. I didn't get a real good impression of the nurseries I have visited so far. They are naturally more interested in the big ticket 2k trees than the smaller ones I was interested. The one I used to go to who had people that actually seemed to like plants went bankrupt.

What you're describing (fruit trees) that can be done and is commonly done. It's often done at orchards so they can easily pick fruit without too much need for mechanical assistance.