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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Tree Pruning Tips

Tree pruning allows for a variety of goals, including removing diseased or damaged branches, encouraging new growth and creating a distinctive shape. However, it is important to understand that each cut you make to a tree can have significant impacts on the plant’s ability to photosynthesize and defend itself from insects and disease.

It is also important to prune trees only as necessary. Removing large amounts of foliage and wood at one time can put a tree under stress that may lead to serious problems in the future.

In general, you should avoid removing more than 20% of the total canopy at any one time. In addition, pruning too much can cause the plant to stress and reduce its ability to photosynthesis. This stress can also cause the plant to look “leafless” and may even result in the development of a condition called lion’s tailing, which leaves a “v” or elongated branch at the end with no leaves.

The best times to prune vary depending on the season and your goals. Light pruning and the removal of dead wood can be done any time, while larger cuts should be made in the winter or early spring when the tree is dormant. This will minimize the impact to the tree as it grows in the summer.

During these times, you should be more observant for problems like crossing or inward-growing limbs that can rub against other branches, causing abrasions and wounds that are difficult to heal. In addition, abrasions can expose the interior of the tree to pests and diseases.

Other important considerations for pruning include removing suckers, or sprouts, that grow at the base of a tree. These can quickly overtake the main trunk and weaken the structure of the tree. Similarly, it is important to remove branches that rub against fence posts, gates, and other structures to prevent damage or injury. In most cases, you should aim to remove these rubbing branches before they become too large.

You should always make your cuts just above the small bulge at the base of a branch, also known as the branch collar. This will help to keep the size of the wound small and promote healthy healing. You should also try to avoid ripping branches from the trunk, as this can damage the bark and create a site for infection and insect entry.

For many plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs, and mountain laurel, it is often a good idea to cut back the old blooms to the point where they are fading or have completely dropped off. In addition, you should prune pines and spruces to limit the size of their current year’s growth by snapping off long ends of new growth (candles). This will restrict the growth rate and help to control the overall height of the plant.



source https://caboolturetreeremoval.wordpress.com/2025/02/12/tree-pruning-tips/

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