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Pruning Guidelines
To encourage the development of a strong, healthy tree, consider the following guidelines when pruning.
Prune first for safety, next for health, and finally for aesthetics. | |
Never prune trees that are touching or near utility lines; instead consult your local utility company. | |
Avoid pruning trees when you might increase susceptibility to important pests (e.g. in areas where oak wilt exists, avoid pruning oaks in the spring and early summer; prune trees susceptible to fireblight only during the dormant season). | |
Use the following decision guide for size of branches to be removed: | |
1. | under 5 cm diameter - go ahead, |
2. | between 5 and 10 cm diameter - think twice, and |
3. | greater than 10 cm diameter - have a good reason. |
Assess how a tree will be pruned from the top down. | |
Favor branches with strong, U-shaped angles of attachment. Remove branches with weak, V-shaped angles of attachment and/or included bark. | |
Ideally, lateral branches should be evenly spaced on the main stem of young trees. | |
Remove any branches that rub or cross another branch. | |
Make sure that lateral branches are no more than one-half to three-quarters of the diameter of the stem to discourage the development of co-dominant stems. | |
Do not remove more than one- quarter of the living crown of a tree at one time. If it is necessary to remove more, do it over successive years. |
Always maintain live branches on at least two-thirds of a tree's total height. Removing too many lower branches will hinder the development of a strong stem. | |
Remove basal sprouts and vigorous epicormic sprouts. |
Use crown reduction pruning only when absolutely necessary. Make the pruning cut at a lateral branch that is at least one-third the diameter of the stem to be removed. | |
If it is necessary to remove more than half of the foliage from a branch, remove the entire branch. |