I have a young oak tree growing at the edge of a pathway along which I want to take a car and trailer. The tree is about 30 feet high. The branches start about 2 feet off the ground. If I take off the branches up to a height of, say , 6 feet, what will the longterm effect on the appearance of the tree be? As the tree grows, will the space between the lowest branches and the ground increase (much) or does the tree grow from a point higher up?
Trim away and you will produce a nice 'oak tree shaped' oak tree. The tree will grow from its tips, so the distance between the lower branches and the ground will not alter that much. Use a nice sharp saw, cut about a foot away from the trunk, with a little undercut first to stop the bark tearing when the branch comes off. You can then cut whats left of the branch flush with the trunk. Have fun!