For newly planted trees, pruning encourages healthy growth into an attractive, mature shape. For established trees, pruning out dead or damaged wood removes branches that are in danger of falling and keeps the tree healthy. When pruning your trees, the first place to start is with the purchase of quality tree care equipment. Richardson Saw & Lawnmower carries a range of tools for homeowners and professional arborists. Corona prunning equipment includes hand pruners, loppers, and saws. For larger cutting jobs, pole pruners and chainsaws are also available.
Reasons For Pruning
There are several reasons for pruning your trees and shrubs. Pruning promotes plant health by removing dead, dying, diseased, and damaged wood. Branches that are growing too close together also need pruned, to prevent them from rubbing against or growing into each other.
Pruning can also be done for ornamental reasons. Pruning encourages dense growth, can be used to control plant size, and lets you remove unwanted branches and suckers. For flowering trees, pruning after flowering encourages nice flowers next year.
In larger trees, pruning dangerous branches increases safety. Dead or weak branches are likely to fall, and should be removed before they have a chance to injure people or damage property. You can also prune to increase visibility around the entrance to your home or at traffic intersections.
Pruning At Planting
Most trees are planted in late fall or winter, after deciduous trees have gone dormant. Planting while dormant decreases shock to the tree roots and encourages better growth in the spring. At planting time, the only pruning which will need done is removal of dead or damaged branches. You can also remove branches that are crossing each other.
Pruning to shape a new tree can begin the year after it was first planted, when the tree is dormant or right after flowering if it is an ornamental tree. When training a new tree, be careful not to remove the leading branch. When shortening a branch or twig, make an angled cut about ¼ of an inch above a bud facing the outside of the plant so a new branch will grow in that direction.
Pruning As The Tree Grows
In the years after planting, pruning steps start to follow a schedule. This guide from ArborDay.org details tree pruning steps from planting to the tree’s maturity, with picture examples. Once a tree new tree has been planted, pruning is the most important step to encouraging it to grow into a mature tree.
After about 3 or 4 years, the root system should be well established, and you can complete more drastic pruning to guide the final tree shape. Root suckers near the base of the tree can be removed, as can some of the lower branches, to encourage a nice crown of leaves at the top. Narrow, angled branches and branches too close together can be thinned. After another 2 to 4 years, you can remove more of the lower branches to create a crown that will be easy to mow and walk under. Higher branches can be removed as needed for even spacing, or to maintain the desired outline of the tree.
Well-pruned trees experience fewer problems and grow into a more attractive shape than neglected trees. By pruning newly established trees during the first years after planting, and keeping up with removal of damaged limbs, your tree will maintain a more attractive shape and is less likely to break in bad weather or experience dissease.
