A Comprehensive Guide to Pruning & Trimming Trees

Leaves fall from trees every autumn and leaves cover branches. Many gardeners don’t like the idea of dealing with all the leaves that fall, but I love this time to examine each tree canopy. I make a list of branches that may need to be removed from my trees now. These dormant periods allow me to create a plan for trimming and pruning trees in my landscape.

Why is pruning trees so important?

For many reasons, tree limbs should be pruned. This will result in a healthier and more productive tree. While trees can grow naturally without any pruning, regular landscaping maintenance will help them reach their full potential and live for a long time. You need to first understand why you should trim trees.

Pruning healthy trees

Pruning to maintain plant health is about removing dead, dying, or diseased branches. It also removes branches that rub together and any branch tips so the whole tree can continue to grow in a healthy fashion. The canopy can be opened up to allow for light and air to flow throughout the tree. This allows for more foliage, while decreasing the risk of developing disease.

Suckers and water sprouts at the ground level can weaken the wood and steal nutrients. If you help a tree establish one dominant leader and one primary tree, it creates a strong tree that can withstand high winds and winter storms.

You can create the perfect plant by combining landscape maintenance with appearance pruning. Pruning trees in the right way can increase fruiting and flowering, shape and control plants’ size.

Pruning for safer spaces

Pruned trees not only make them healthier, but they also make them stronger. While safety is not something we often think about, it’s a good reason for trees to be trimmed. Pruning your trees creates a safe space for you and your family.

Weak limbs, dead branches and diseased trees pose danger to property and lives. It is important to take the time to inspect your tree branches before you prune them.

Depending on your location, pruning trees is essential to reduce dead limbs and branches in order to avoid hurricane seasons. Trees can become too heavy and may fall in storms. Additionally, falling branches could cause damage to houses or plants below.

Pruning a tree branch correctly

If you’re reducing, shaping or shaping branches or limbs small enough for hand tools, remember that cutting will encourage new growth. To keep this in mind, trim limbs 1/4 inch higher than a bud that faces outside the plant. This will direct the growth. To avoid water damage and diseases, keep your cuts at a 45° angle.

3-cut pruning for thick tree branches

Pruning tree branches properly creates a callus at the site of the cut branch. This callus is crucial for tree health. Three cuts are required for most tree branches to be cut to the trunk or main branch. This is to protect the bark. The first two cut remove weight from the tree branch. The final cut promotes callus growth.

The first cut: On the underside.

Move approximately 18 inches to the top of the branch that you want to remove. This is the best place for your first cut. Take the branch and cut it about halfway.

The second cut is the topside of the branch.

Move to the upper side of the branch. Pick a place that is one-inch further from your original cut. Take care to cut the branch down until it is free.

The third cut: Outside the collar.

The branch collar is located on the trunk. This is the stem tissue that surrounds the branch’s base. Most trees will have some slight swelling or rougher bark around this area. Make your final cut to the collar’s outside, leaving no stub. You should make a complete cut starting from the base. This reduces water damage and encourages rapid formation of the callus.

Tree Pruning Tips

Pruning trees might seem like a daunting task, but it is possible. I recommend that shade trees with large branches be left to certified arborists and tree-care professionals. They have the necessary equipment and training to safely remove large branches. You can start pruning trees by learning from ornamental and fruit trees. They are simple to reach and require no tools.

Plant trees early to start pruning

The proactive homeowner should begin pruning trees as soon as they are planted. It is important to remove diseased, dead or broken branches as soon as possible. It is not necessary to prune for shape until the first winter after planting. Regular pruning throughout the lifespan of a tree reduces both the effort required and the stress it puts on the tree. Each year, prune a tree little to create a strong and beautiful tree.

When is the best time to prune trees?

There’s no wrong time to prune dead, diseased or damaged branches. Pruning trees in mid- to late winter is a good idea for most trees. Pruning during dormancy promotes new growth, as soon as the weather starts to warm. It is easy to identify branches and limbs that require removal because there are no leaves after fall.

Some trees can bleed sap if they are pruned in the winter. Although it is best to prune maple trees in winter, this can cause bleeding. You don’t have to worry, the sap will stop leaking as soon as the tree develops leaves. It isn’t dangerous and will not harm your tree.

Even though I love to make my pruning plans in the fall I wait several months before actually starting to prune. Pruning trees during the fall can cause disease. Warm fall can even encourage new growth, which could be detrimental when the temperature drops.

Pruning trees during summer is not something that’s very popular, but it can sometimes prove to be beneficial if done with care. Expert gardeners use summer pruning as a way to control growth. This is done by slowing the development of branches or trees. This type of pruning works best when the season has ended. The total leaf surface can be removed to reduce nutrients and improve the tree’s overall growth.

We’ve now established the best time to prune trees. Let’s discuss flowering trees. They don’t follow the rules. Two types of flowering trees are available: early bloomers or late bloomers.

Early Blooming Trees

The buds of last year’s plants are set by early-blooming trees. A tree that flowers early in 2018 will bloom on 2017 growth. Pruning over winter will cause your tree to stop blooming. You should prune your tree right after it has finished blooming. Trees that are early-blooming include

Apricot
Chokecherry
Ornamental cherry
Flowering Plum
Magnolia
Late Blooming Trees

Late spring and early summer flowers are the best time to plant new buds. If a tree is in full bloom in June, it means that the tree has grown from the previous year. To get the best blooms, it is important to prune these trees in spring.

Catalpa
Dogwood
American smoke tree
Hawthorn
Japanese tree Lilac

Three Pruning Methods to Trees

There are many ways to improve the health of your tree. Each of these methods aims to produce a tree with good light, air circulation, attractive characteristics and strength. Crown thinning, crown lifting, crown reduction, and crown cleaning are the most common methods of general tree pruning. You might notice that every pruning method includes the crown of the tree. Because the crown of the tree is crucial for photosynthesis, it’s important to keep it in good shape. The tree’s other parts will eventually fall apart if the crown isn’t strong and healthy.