You will need a good set of pruning shears and a small hand pruning saw. These usually have a curved blade and are easier to move around the interior of a tree than a larger saw. A lopper or pole pruner has a telescoping handle and will allow you to perform light pruning on upper branches. Wear work gloves and eye protection when working with your trees at home. You never know when a branch or part of it might flip toward your eyes. How often to prune and when will depend on the type and age of the tree. You will also want to prune and clean up a tree if there has been storm damage or if a limb has cracked and split off the tree. Again, keeping clean pruning cuts on a tree will reduce the tree’s exposure to insects and disease and enable the tree to eventually seal off the wound. How much to remove will depend on the size of the tree, the species, age and pruning goals. In general, no more than 25 percent of the tree’s live branches and crown should be removed at once. Cabling
Above: Reasons to Prune Trees. (Red branches are to be removed. Credit: Don Wittig, former Master Gardener, UMD Extension Service.
You may have a mature tree that has multiple large trunks. This may be the result of the tree not being pruned as a young tree to eliminate a competing dominant stem. Call a professional to explore cabling the upper sections of the tree. Cabling involves installation of steel or synthetic cable to provide extra support for large branch unions or multiple large trunks. Cabling can help stabilize upper sections of your tree during a strong windstorm. Cabling your tree will not have an impact on the visual appeal of the tree. Once in place, cables are hard to see when you look up into the crown of a tree. But bear in mind that cabling is not always the answer. Reduction pruning of a large limb can also improve a tree’s chances of long-term survival. . The following chart provides a general idea of when to prune your trees. Tree Type First 10 years 10+ Years after planting Fruit trees Once every 1-2 years Once every 1-3 years Broad-leaf trees Once every 1-2 years Once every 4-7 years Conifer trees As needed As needed
Protect your eyes when pruning.
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