Written by Chris Lambton and published on https://www.fiskars.com/.

Trees that aren’t regularly trimmed can grow to look unbalanced and misshapen. Branches may sprout off in strange directions and this uneven growth can make your trees appear bedraggled.

Trimming is like a much-needed haircut, one that enhances the tree’s natural shape. Thinning out limbs and cutting back unwieldy branches is beneficial because it improves the tree’s appearance. Trimming is especially important for those trees you plant to boost the appeal of a property.

A Complete Guide to Pruning and Trimming Trees

As leaves fall from the trees each autumn, branches formerly covered in a canopy of dense foliage come out of hiding. Although many gardeners would rather never deal with the falling mess of leaves, I relish this time as an opportunity to inspect each tree canopy. It’s now that I carefully make note of any branches I may need to remove from my trees. Taking advantage of these dormant months gives me time to develop a plan for pruning and trimming trees in my landscaping.

Why is it Important to Prune Trees?

Tree limbs are pruned for multiple reasons, all of which
result in a better looking and better performing tree. Although trees do
grow quite naturally without pruning, this routine landscape
maintenance allows your trees to reach their full potential and live a
long life. But before you can learn how to trim a tree properly, you
need to know why you should trim a tree.

Pruning for plant health focuses on removing dead, dying and diseased
branches, branches that rub together and any branch stubs so the entire
tree continues to grow in a healthy way. Opening up the canopy to let
light and air filter throughout the entire tree allows for increased
foliage while decreasing the risk of disease. At the ground level,
suckers and water sprouts weaken wood and steal nutrients from the main
tree. By helping a tree establish one main tree and a dominant leader,
you create a strong tree that’s ultimately able to withstand winter
storms and high winds.

Landscape maintenance and appearance pruning combine to create the
ideal plant you envision. By pruning and trimming trees in specific
ways, you can encourage fruiting and flowering, shape plants into
specific forms and control plant size.

Safety concerns are not often considered, but they’re definitely a
good reason to prune your trees. Trimming the trees in your yard creates
a safe environment for your family and friends. Well-pruned trees are
stronger and healthier. Dead branches, diseased trees and weak limbs are
all a danger to people and property. When pruning trees, take a moment
to assess if tree branches are becoming too close to safety lights,
electrical lines or are blocking traffic views.

Depending on where you live, it is also important to prune trees to
thin out branches and dead limbs before hurricane seasons. Too much
foliage can result in trees being top heavy and falling over easier in
storms, and falling branches may damage a house or plants below.

Proper Way to Prune a Tree Limb

When thinning, reducing and shaping branches and limbs small enough
to cut with hand tools, keep in mind that your cuts are going to
encourage new growth. Cut limbs ¼ inch above a bud that faces the
outside of the plant. This will be the direction of the new growth. Keep
your cuts at a 45-degree angle to prevent water damage and disease.

Pruning Thick Tree Branches

Properly
pruned tree branches form a callus where the removed branch once was.
This callus is essential to the health of the tree. Most tree branches
that are cut back to the trunk or a main branch will require three cuts
to prevent damage to the bark. The first two cuts remove the weight from
the tree branch, and the final cut is designed for the best callus
growth.

Step one: Travel approximately 18 inches up the underside of the branch you are removing.

This is the perfect location for your first cut. Cut up about halfway through the branch.

Step two: Move to the top side of the branch.

Choose a location an inch further out from your first cut. Carefully cut down until the branch breaks free.

Step three: Find the branch collar on your trunk.

This
is the stem tissue around the base of the branch. With most trees,
you’ll see a slight swelling and rougher bark in this area. You want to
make your final cut just to the outside of this collar, but without
leaving a stub. Make a complete cut with a 45-degree angle kicking out
from the base of the tree. This prevents water damage and encourages the
quick formation of the callus.

Tree Pruning Tips

Pruning trees may seem like a large project – and it can be. I
recommend leaving large, established shade trees to qualified arborists
and tree care professionals. They have the appropriate equipment and
training to remove large branches safely. Ornamental and fruit trees are
the perfect place to start learning how to prune a tree. Most are
easily accessible and require simple tools.

Start Pruning Trees Early On

A
proactive homeowner begins pruning as soon as a tree is planted.
Diseased, dead and broken branches should be removed right away. Pruning
for shape isn’t necessary until the first winter after planting.
Regular pruning throughout the life of a tree reduces the amount of work
necessary and the stress on the tree. Pruning a tree a little each year
creates a strong and beautiful tree from the very beginning.

When is the Best Time of Year to Prune Trees?

There
is never a bad time to remove dead, damaged or diseased branches. But
most trees benefit from pruning in mid to late winter. Pruning during
dormancy encourages new growth as soon as the weather begins to warm.
The lack of leaves after autumn allows you to easily identify branches
and limbs requiring removal.

Be aware that some trees can bleed
sap when pruned during late winter. For example, pruning maple trees in
winter is ideal but can result in bleeding. Don’t worry – the sap will
stop flowing as soon as the tree begins to put on leaves. It isn’t
dangerous and it won’t harm your tree.

Although I like to make my
pruning plan in the fall, I always wait a few months to before I start
to actually prune. Pruning trees in fall can introduce disease. In the
event of a warm fall, it could even encourage new growth which will be
damaged when temperatures drop.

Pruning trees in summer isn’t a
popular option, but sometimes can be beneficial if performed with
caution. Experienced gardeners use summer pruning to direct growth by
slowing down the development of a tree or branch. The best timing for
this form of pruning is just after the seasonal growth has reached its
peak. By removing the total leaf surface of the plant, you reduce the
amount of nutrients sent to the roots and the overall growth of the
tree.

Now that we’ve established when the best time of the year is
to prune trees, let’s talk about flowering trees. They don’t exactly
follow the rules. Flowering trees fall into two categories: early
bloomers and late bloomers.

Early Blooming Trees

Early
blooming trees set buds on last year’s growth. For example, a tree
blooming early in 2018 is blooming on growth from 2017. If you prune
over the winter, your tree won’t bloom. Instead, prune right after the
tree finishes blooming. Early blooming trees include:

• Apricot
• Chokecherry
• Ornamental Cherry
• Flowering Plum
• Magnolia

Late Blooming Trees

Trees
that bloom in late spring to early summer set buds on this year’s new
growth. For example, a tree blooming in June of 2018 is blooming on
growth from 2018. These trees should be pruned in early spring for the
best bloom:

• Catalpa
• Dogwood
• American smoke tree
• Hawthorn
• Japanese tree lilac

Tree Pruning Methods

There
are many ways to improve both the health and the shape of a tree. The
goal of each is to create a tree with good light and air circulation,
attractive qualities and strength. The four most popular tree pruning
methods for general pruning are crown thinning, crown raising, crown
reduction and crown cleaning. You may notice that each pruning method
involves the crown of the tree. That’s because the crown of the tree is
essential for producing leaves for photosynthesis. Without a strong and
healthy crown, the rest of the tree will weaken over time.

Crown Thinning

Thinning
the crown involves trimming a tree to remove specific live branches to
reduce the overall density of a tree. Thinning is the most common
pruning performed on mature trees. It increases sunlight penetration and
air circulation. It can also reduce stress on selected limbs from
gravity, wind, ice or snow.

Because the goal is not to change the
size or shape of the tree, thinning should be consistent throughout the
tree. You should only remove 10 to 20 percent of the tree branches from
the edge of the canopy. Large trees benefit from removing end portions
of limbs between 1 to 4 inches in diameter. Small ornamental landscape
trees and fruit trees can be thinned by removing smaller limbs between ¼
to ½ inch thick. You should trim trees for crown thinning so that the
tree still looks completely unpruned.

Crown Raising

Crown raising lifts the
bottom edge of tree limbs up to clear for traffic, buildings or a view.
This tree pruning method should be performed gradually over a long
period of time. Removing too many lower branches all at once can result
in a weak tree. Remove only a few limbs less than four inches in
diameter when pruning every year. I like to take a few steps back
periodically and look at the overall balance of the tree. The live crown
on deciduous trees should make up 60 percent of the tree. If the trunk
begins to go over 40 percent, the tree could become weakened. Most
conifers can be balanced at a 50 percent crown and 50 percent trunk
ration and still remain strong and healthy.

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction is a
tree pruning method generally used on older, more mature trees. It can
help strengthen the tree and encourage new growth. Crown reduction
removes a tree branch back to a growing lateral branch. When the growing
season begins in the spring, this lateral branch will become part of
the new tree crown. I consider this method a gentler alternative to tree
topping. There are smaller cuts, less of the crown is removed and
plenty of old growth remains for structure. While crown thinning is
performed to reduce limbs and foliage, the goal of crown reduction is to
remove old growth while encouraging new.

Crown Cleaning

Crown
cleaning is the removal of dead, diseased and broken branches when
trimming a tree. It can be performed at any time and should be included
as a part of crown thinning, raising and reduction. Cleaning the tree
crown strengthens the overall tree, and prevents future damage to both
the tree and surrounding property while increasing the overall safety of
your landscaping.

Best Tools for Pruning Trees

Now
that you know how to prune trees, let’s look at how to make it as easy
as possible. Sharp, quality tree trimming tools can turn a dreaded chore
into a quick task. I always keep these tools handy for all my garden
pruning and trimming needs:

• PowerGear2™ Pruner with ergonomic handles and patented gear technology that gives up to 3X more power for cutting stems and branches up to ¾” thick
• PowerGear™ 2 Lopper for extended reach and optimized power to cut through the middle branches up to 2″ in diameter, where you need the most leverage
• Power Tooth® Softgrip® Saw for removing large limbs and branches with clean, quick cuts – the unique teeth design cuts through wood quickly and smoothly
• Extendable Pole Saw and Pruner to reach branches up to 16 feet away – a special low-friction coating allows you to easily cut branches as thick as 1 1/4 inch

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