Tree Pruning & Trimming: Techniques & Tips

By understanding the basics of tree pruning and tree trimming, you can handle a lot of the tree care work yourself.  Further, with regular pruning and trimming, you will significantly improve the appearance and health of your trees.  There are many outstanding pruning and trimming technique, which can help you keep your trees healthy and beautiful.  With the right equipment and knowledge, you can successfully and efficiently prune and trimming your trees to maintain their appearance, shape, and safety.  

Why Trim or Prune a Tree

Trees are usually pruned and trimmed for one of three reasons: safety, aesthetics, or health. 

• Safety – Broken or dead limbs and branches can fall at any time, which can be a serious safety issue. If the limbs of a tree block your vision while operating a motor vehicle, they should be cut away. Lastly, tree branches and limbs can grow too close to buildings and electrical lines. Always the power company to handle these tree trimming issues.
• Aesthetics – Trimming a tree effectively aids it in maintaining its appearance and shape. However, you should never try to create an artificial size or shape or size to a tree. The quantity of cutting that will be required could seriously hard it.
• Health – It is often possible to save a diseased tree by systematically cutting away impacted limbs and branches. Reducing the crown of a tree helps with airflow, which can be quite helpful. If limbs are rubbing together or crossing, they should be pruned, or removed entirely so they don't damage themselves.  

Tree Trimming and Pruning Tips

Follow these tips when you next trim or prune a tree, and you will be pleased with the results.

• Always trim or prune your trees when they are dominant, which will usually be in the late autumn and winter for most property owners.  Conifers differ slightly in that they can be trimmed anytime but generally sticking to a winter schedule is best.  Of course, you should trim or prune anytime if there is a safety issue with the tree.  
• Be aware of the size limbs you are removing.  First, bigger, heavier limbs can be difficult to cut, especially at heights.  Large branches tend to bind when cutting them creating a safety issue.  Second, disposal becomes an issue with larger limbs.  Most property owners won't have access to a wood chipper or be able to easily haul the trimmings away.  
• Trim only limbs that are weak.  These include branches that are V-shaped, weak and have very narrow angles.  Conversely, U-shaped branches are an indication they are strong and should not be cut.  
• Branches that grow laterally should be between 1/2 and 3/4 the diameter of the stem where it attaches.  If not, these lateral branches should not be removed.  
• When the trimming is complete, the tree height and living crown should have a ration of about 2/3.
• Pruning branches when they are young is much easier to handle and you don't risk scars that are common with more mature limbs.  
• Never trim too long or too close to the trunk.  Never leave a stub or cut the branch collar.