Pruning Mature Trees

A variety of techniques can improve your trees.

The most common mistake made by most people doing their own tree pruning is using improper pruning techniques. Whether you're cutting large or small branches, all final cuts the tree.

The first rule in pruning trees should be, do cutting without a reason. There may be several reasons for needing or wanting to prune a tree. Reasons such as: convenience, safety, sanitation, or appearance.

Removing live limbs is a dwarfing process, and because of this, a heavily pruned tree will never be as large as an unpruned tree.

Pruning times…

Pruning can be done anytime of the year. The best time is during late winter or early spring before new growth begins. The worst time to prune is right after new growth beglns.

Pruning techniques…

The most common mistake made by most people doing their own tree pruning is using improper pruning techniques. Whether you're cutting large or small branches, all final cuts should be made smooth and flush with the tree.

The bark of a branch is usually marked by a swelling, or "collar," where it joins the trunk or large limb. The final cut should be made where the swelling or the collar begins. Be careful not to leave fungi to get started in the tree. You may want to apply a tree wound dressing on the cut.

If you're not careful, you can seriously damage your tree when you`re pruning large branches. You can accidentally create large wounds on the tree if you allow a large branch, which is being removed, to strip bark as it falls from the tree. This damage can be prevented by making multiple cuts or by using the so-called stub-cutting method.

Stub-cutting…

Make the first cut from below at two inches from the trunk...half way through the limb...then cut off the limb from above. Then, remove the stub with a cut where the swelling or collar begins at the trunk of the tree.

Sun scale…

Many large, old trees are sun scalded, if they're heavily top-pruned or if they were part of a forest and most of their companion trees were cut. Their bark is killed when it suddenly is exposed to full sunlight after growing in the shade. This can happen to your trees if they aren't pruned properly.

To prevent sun-scald, prune only part of the tree top in any one year. If you need to thin a grove of trees, do it by cutting the unwanted trees over a period of years rather than all at one time.

Pollarding...

Sometimes used on old trees; pollarding is the cutting off of the top of the tree, leaving only the major limbs. These limbs then are expected to produce a new crown.

Pollarding can be recommended only for unusual situations. It works well on only a few trees...such as silver maple, poplars and willows. However, even these trees have an unpleasing appearance until they can grow new crown. Protect all pollarding wounds with a wound paint, preferably asphalt containing an antiseptic.

For more information on pruning mature trees, contact your local County Extension Office.