Tree Pruning Techniques The process professional pruners practice Tree Pruning and Trimming Tree Puning Techniques Tree Trimming Tree Pruning Techniques There are four different types of tree pruning that can be used for mature tree maintenance.  These methods are designed to keep the tree beautiful, safe and healthy. Cleaning the crown of a tree consists of getting rid of any branches or limbs that are dead, diseased, crowded, weakly attached, dying or unhealthy in any way, Thinning  a tree’s crown allows for the choice removal of specific branches in order to boost air movement and light penetration throughout.  It also lightens the weight on large limbs, maintains a shapely tree and gives the foliage room to breathe. Raising the crown of a tree is done by taking off low growing branches that are obstructing access to cars, buildings, etc. Reduction of a tree’s size is commonly performed to allocate utility line clearance.  This is not the same technique as tree topping.  Tree topping is an unacceptable practice in the professional tree service business and is harmful to trees.  Properly performed tree reduction will uphold the trees structural form and protect it from any damage.   How Much to Prune? There are several factors to consider when determining how much to prune off of a tree.  These factors include the tree’s age, size, species and the purpose behind pruning the tree.  Older trees are unable to withstand large amounts of pruning like younger trees can.  It is easier for trees to recuperate from a few little pruning wounds than it is for them to heal from one large single wound. Remember to leave an equal amount of foliage on larger limbs and throughout the bottom part of the tree’s crown.  Removing large masses of small branches and inner foliage is called ‘over thinning’.  This common mistake causes a reduction in a tree’s ability to produce sugar and will create limbs that are tip-heavy and likely to fall. An important principle to remember is never to remove over one-fourth of a tree’s leaf-bearing crown.  For a mature tree, pruning that much at once could be risky.  Mature trees do not need a lot of pruning on a regular basis.  Big, old trees have less energy than smaller young trees, which means they may struggle to close a wound from a pruning cut that is too large for them to handle.  This can leave them susceptible to insects and decay.  Try to limit pruning of mature trees to only that of hazardous and dead limbs. Wound Dressings  In the past, it was a common practice among tree service companies to apply wound dressings to trees that had been pruned.  The belief was that it protected against decay, disease and insects as well as sped up the healing process.  But more recent research has stated that this is not the case.  Wound dressings do not speed up wound closure and very seldom do they prevent disease or insect infestation.  It is no longer recommended that tree technicians apply wound dressings to trees unless it is strictly for cosmetic reasons.  If this is the case, apply only a nontoxic single thin coating on the tree’s wound.