Summer is a great time to hire a professional arborist, or inspect your trees and remove dead, diseased or unsafe branches. You can also prune in the late winter when trees are dormant, but pruning in the summer can make it easier to see and remove defective limbs. Clearing out dead and diseased wood keeps the tree healthier, and if you take out weak limbs early in the season there is less chance of summer storm damage. The only trees you shouldn’t prune in the summer are those that flower in the summer or fall since pruning will interfere with their flowering pattern.
Arborist Tools
Richardson Saw & Lawnmower carries a wide range of chainsaws and powered pole pruners, as well as Corona brand hand-powered cutting tools. Our cutting tools work for homeowners who want to do light pruning themselves, or for professional arborists trained in maintaining trees.
We also carry Samson ropes and Buckingham’s arborist products. Samson offers some of the most reliable ropes in the business, including a wide range of climbing, rigging, and accessory lines. Buckingham offers high-quality harnesses, saddles, straps and other tools designed specifically for professional use.
Pruning Tips
For young trees, the goal of pruning is to create a healthy mature shape. Remove broken branches, branches that are rubbing against each other, and anything infected by disease or insects. If you want to remove lower limbs, do so over several years as the tree grows, cutting the branches when they reach 1 inch in diameter. Mature trees rarely require pruning, except to remove unhealthy branches.
According to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s article “Follow Proper Pruning Techniques,” the right way to cut a tree branch depends on its size and how it is growing in the tree. If you’re thinning small branches in a shrub or young tree, cut back to a side branch that forms no more than a 45 degree angle with the main branch or twig, and make the cut ½ inch above the side branch. For thick, heavy branches, make the cut flush to the collar at the base of the branch, not with the trunk, to discourage rot and disease. Make all cuts in a tree clean and smooth.
Cutting Safety
Echo’s Pole Pruner Safety Manual and Stihl’s Chainsaw Safety Guide strongly recommend wearing eye protection – preferably a face shield – at all times when operating powered wood cutting tools. Hearing protection, a hard hat, non-slip gloves, and safety-tip footwear with nonslip soles are also recommended. Don’t wear loose clothing that could get caught or tangled on any part of the saw. Keep both hands on the pole pruner or chainsaw at all times while cutting. Stand off to the side to cut; never directly underneath a limb.
When using any type of pruning tool, including hand-powered saws and clippers, be cautious about branches that are under tension because they may spring back when cut. Make sure there is a large area clear under the tree for cut branches to fall, and keep children away from the cutting area.
