Pruning trees is an essential gardening practice that promotes plant health, aesthetics, and safety. Here’s a basic guide on when and how to prune trees:
When to Prune:
- Dormant Season:
- Best Time: Late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. This is ideal because the tree is less susceptible to stress, and disease spores are less active. Also, without leaves, you can see the branch structure better.
- Exceptions: Some trees, like maples and birches, might “bleed” sap if pruned in late winter or early spring. While this isn’t harmful, it can be messy, so prune these in late spring or summer when the leaves are fully out.
- Summer:
- Pruning in summer can be done to direct growth by slowing the branches you don’t want, or to remove defective limbs. It’s also a good time for corrective pruning.
- Fall:
- Generally, avoid pruning in the fall. Pruning stimulates growth, and new growth might not harden off before the cold, potentially leading to damage.
How to Prune:
- Safety First:
- Wear protective gear like gloves, safety glasses, and, if using a chainsaw, appropriate safety gear.
- Tools:
- Use sharp, clean tools. Common tools include hand pruners (for small branches), loppers (for medium branches), pruning saws (for larger branches), and pole pruners for high branches.
- Technique:
- Remove the Three D’s: Dead, Diseased, and Damaged wood first. This is crucial for tree health.
- Thinning Cuts: Remove entire branches back to the trunk or a larger branch. This reduces the density and allows more light and air into the canopy.
- Heading Cuts: Cut back a branch to a bud or side branch. This can encourage bushier growth or direct growth in a certain direction.
- Crown Raising: Remove lower branches to lift the crown for clearance beneath.
- Crown Reduction: Cut back the leaders and longer branches to reduce the overall size of the tree. This should be done carefully to maintain the tree’s natural form.
- Making the Cut:
- For small branches, cut just outside the branch collar (the swollen area where the branch meets the trunk or another branch).
- For larger limbs, use the three-cut method to avoid bark tearing:
- Make an undercut about a foot from the trunk.
- Cut through from the top a little further out from the undercut, so the branch breaks off without peeling bark back to the trunk.
- Remove the remaining stub by cutting just outside the branch collar.
- Aftercare:
- It’s generally no longer recommended to use wound paint or sealants as they can seal in moisture and pathogens. Trees usually heal best when left to their natural defenses.
- Considerations:
- Never remove more than 25% of a tree’s foliage in one season. Over-pruning can stress the tree significantly.
- For very large trees or those near power lines, consider hiring a professional arborist.
Remember, each species might have specific needs or times for pruning, so if you’re dealing with an uncommon or particularly valuable tree, it might be worth consulting species-specific guidelines or a local arborist.
