When pruning a large or heavy branch, make three cuts to prevent tearing of bark. Make the first cut on the underside of the limb. Then, travel an inch up the branch and find the branch collar, a swollen area where trunk and branch tissues meet.
Thinning reduces density to allow sunlight penetration and minimize stress on selected limbs from gravity, wind, ice or snow. This technique is best done in late winter or early spring. Keep reading to get additional insights on Tree Pruning.
Dead branches are not only unsightly, but they can block the flow of nutrients and moisture to healthy parts of the tree, create entry points for pests and diseases, and suffocate the tree. Pruning removes dead branches, allowing the tree to re-grow and improve its structure. It also helps prevent hazards, such as limbs that may fall and damage property or people.
Arborists prune trees by making cuts to remove damaged, diseased, or dead parts of the plant. These types of cuts are called thinning and heading cuts. Thinning cuts reduce the overall size of a tree without affecting its health, but heading cuts remove entire branches and shoots.
Good pruning practices include making cuttings just outside the natural “collar” where a branch to be removed attaches to the trunk or a larger limb. If the branch is cut too close, it can invite decay into the tree and leave a stub that is prone to breaking off. Likewise, if the branch is cut back flush against the trunk or limb, it creates a large wound that can be difficult for the branch to heal over.
Proper pruning also involves removing crossing, rubbing, or crotched branches, which can pull on and girdle the trunk of the tree. Crossing branches grow in opposite directions and rub against each other, causing wounds that open the tree to disease and insect attack. Crotched branches are a serious hazard because they can cause the bark to split and allow pathogens to enter.
It is also important to remove limbs that are growing in the wrong direction, such as suckers or water sprouts, which divert energy from the main part of the tree and compromise its shape and structure. Finally, it is important to remove limbs that are rubbing against structures such as buildings or driveways.
Many people incorrectly scribe or shape pruning wounds to promote callus growth, but research has shown that this practice only makes the wounds larger and delays healing. Wounds made using the proper pruning technique of a thinning or heading cut should not need to be shaped and will heal quickly on their own.
Removing Overcrowded Branches
Early pruning helps to open the canopy for sunlight penetration and reduce competition between branches. It can also help to promote good form and reduce stress on the tree during extreme weather events. When pruning a young tree, look for branch cross-overs and crowded areas where one branch crowds another. This is often a sign of an unhealthy tree that needs to be thinned. Aim to remove no more than 25 percent of the total live wood in any season and spread size reductions over several seasons.
To avoid putting unnecessary stress on a new or young tree, prune only a small amount in a single year, and step back to observe the results. Removing too much tissue in one year can result in a decline in tree vigor and an increase in unwanted sprouting.
When a limb grows too close to its neighbors, it causes rub and can lead to wounds that become more susceptible to decay and breakage. These weakened connections are also more likely to be broken during storms. Structural pruning is used to eliminate these overcrowded limbs and reestablish a single leader by making thinning cuts that reduce the size of the branch and the stub.
Inspect the trunk and branch collar to find a spot that looks like raised, wrinkled skin around where the branch emerges from the trunk. This area is a natural sealant for pruning wounds and will develop callus tissue to cover the wound. When a clean, removal cut is made outside of this area, the wound is more likely to heal successfully. When a stub is left on the limb, however, it will be prone to decay and insect infestation.
Examine the crotch angle, the angle at which one branch connects to its parent. The ideal crotch angle is 60 to 70 degrees. Branches that grow at these angles are stronger and have a lower chance of breaking in severe weather.
When the top of a tree is dense, it is difficult for light to penetrate to the inside of the canopy. This can reduce productivity and hinder fruit harvesting. To open the canopy, shorten and thin out upright limbs in the upper part of the tree. Thin out spurs and remove risers, or shoots that grow straight up and overshadow other limbs.
Removing Water Sproutes
A water sprout is a vigorous, usually upright shoot that develops from dormant buds on the trunk or large branches of a tree. Heavy pruning can stimulate the production of these unwanted shoots. They are often undesirable because they divert energy from the main branches and can become sites of breakage, disease or insect infestation.
In general, water sprouts should be pruned away as soon as they are noticed. They grow rapidly and can quickly rob a tree or shrub of energy that would otherwise be directed to the inner crown. They also reduce air and light movement within the canopy which can lead to weakened areas of a tree or shrub that are more susceptible to problems.
Removing water sprouts is usually a straightforward task and can be accomplished using hand or power pruners or loppers. To remove a water sprout, make a sharp cut at the base of the shoot close to its point of origin. Then, rub off any shoot stubs that remain. Ideally, this should be done in early spring but you should keep an eye out for new growths throughout the growing season and remove them promptly if they develop.
Other common tree pruning goals include reducing size, improving structure, and reducing hazard. Removing dead or damaged branches; crossing or rubbing branches; thorny or spiny branches that can interfere with traffic or structures; branches that hang over buildings; and branches that are growing into utility lines are good examples of safety-related pruning needs. In addition, thinning a tree or shrub to reduce its density is an important type of structural pruning that should be performed regularly.
When making a thinning cut, it is best to choose a location close to the branch of origin that has no buds or very few lateral branches. This will encourage new growth to develop from these locations and lessen the impact of thinning on the remaining branches of a plant. Also, removing a limb all the way to the ground will typically result in more vigorous new growth and a more natural appearance than a thinning cut that is left with a small stub. Finally, it is best to avoid the use of pruning paints or wound sealers with the exception of oak wilt deterrent sprays. Studies have shown that these products are generally ineffective and can actually slow healing of pruning wounds.
Removing Suckers
Suckers are a tree’s natural response to stress and usually occur where root damage has occurred. They may develop at the base of the trunk, along graft unions or where branches have been cut back too hard. If left unchecked, suckers will sap energy away from the base of the tree and compromise its structure. It is important to prune them out as soon as they appear.
When they’re small and new, it is easiest to rip suckers out of the ground by hand rather than clipping them with shears. Removing them while they’re young also prevents them from growing back and becoming a bigger problem later on. In many cases, simply removing the suckers and covering them up with soil is enough to keep them at bay.
However, if the suckers are re-growing at an alarming rate or have been there for quite some time, a call to a professional is in order. A tree care expert can determine what caused the suckers to start growing and create a plan to get rid of them once and for all.
While pruning trees is a necessary part of good yard maintenance, it’s always best to leave the big jobs to the professionals. Large tree removals, pruning near power lines and other jobs that require ladder work should be handled by a certified arborist with proper training.
In addition to the tasks listed above, a tree pruner can also remove crossing or rubbing branches, branches with thorns below eye level, water sprouts and other objectionable growth from the base of the tree. A lopper with a long handle can reach higher branches and a pole pruner can be used to cut branches above the head.
It is important to prune a tree regularly to keep it looking its best and performing at its full potential. Pruning can help to open up vistas, repair storm damage and provide clearance for structures and traffic. However, a poorly-pruned tree can quickly become a safety hazard and it’s important to work with an experienced tree care professional.