If, as a homeowner, you feel you need to get a ladder to climb and prune a tree, that is a signal that you should look for a professional to do the work. Your feet should always be on the ground when pruning your trees. Another red flag for your safety is using power equipment. Electricity flows through branches and chain saws can accidentally cut power lines and electrocute a property owner. It is illegal for anyone to prune or remove trees that are near or touching overhead electric lines unless they are a trained professional. Your safety should always be a priority when working with trees. There are different types of pruning – pruning for safety, to cut limbs that can fall and injure people or damage property and pruning for aesthetics and the health of a tree. There are times when pruning occurs naturally including in high winds. Removing dead and damaged limbs after a storm and making clean pruning cuts will help a tree thrive. Before pruning, stop and think about why you are pruning and how you intend to prune. Without clearly defined objectives, it’s easy to get carried away and over prune your young tree. Always prune with goals in mind. An image on the next page shows a few of the compelling reasons to prune your tree. Routine thinning to remove dead branches can improve form and reduce risks. Removing branches can also increase light and pruning lower branches can allow more overhead clearance under the tree. But routine pruning does not necessarily improve the health of the tree. Think carefully before you cut. Where and How to Cut a Tree Branch Good pruning respects a tree’s natural design characteristics. After establishing your goals for pruning, remember there are three recommended steps to a clean pruning cut. Here is the three-cut method:
1. To target your cut, find the branch collar. This is an area where a branch joins another branch or trunk that’s created by overlapping tissues from both the branch and the trunk. It’s typically an enlarged notch at the base of the tree branch. The branch collar should stay intact throughout pruning. Make a shallow notch below the branch collar and about two inches from the branch collar. This first cut prevents a falling branch from tearing the stem tissue as it pulls away from the tree. 2. A second cut should be made outside the first cut, all the way through the branch, leaving a clean cut. This cut will leave a short stub.
Image courtesy of Deep Green Permaculture
3. Cut the stub just outside the branch bark ridge or branch collar, completing the pruning cut. Leave a cut that faces slightly upward. It’s important for the third or final cut to be clean to reduce the chance that shredded or exposed tissue will attract insects or harmful bacteria.
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