Tree Trimming & Pruning: Tips & Techniques

Knowing the basics of tree trimming can help you to do the majority of this work yourself. There are many excellent trimming techniques and tips that will help you keep your trees in great shape. If you have the right tools and knowledge, you can trim your trees to keep them healthy and looking great.

There are many techniques for trimming trees. However, you should only be concerned about the basics. Or, you could hire a professional. You can find more information in our guide below.

Reasons to Trimming or Pruning a Tree

Trees are typically trimmed to serve one of three purposes: safety, aesthetics, or health. Here are some examples:

Aesthetics Pruning trees effectively can help maintain their shape and appearance. But, it is not a good idea to force trees into a particular shape or size. You could endanger your tree by over-pruning it.
Safety Any branch or limb that is broken or fallen can cause serious injury and pose a safety hazard. It is important to trim down any trees that may obstruct your view while driving. Tree limbs and branches can sometimes grow too close by utility lines. These issues can be handled by the utility company.
Health Sometimes it’s possible to save an infected branch or limb by strategically pruning them away. A tree’s crown can be trimmed to improve airflow. If branches are rubbing together or cross, they should either be cut or removed to ensure they don’t fall unintentionally.

General Tree Trimming Tips

It’s best to trim or prune trees during the dormant season. You can prune a pine tree at any moment, but it is best to do this when it is dormant. There is one exception: when there is a danger.
Carefully consider the size of the branch you are going to cut. You can remove it if it is less that five centimeters wide. You might not want it to be removed if it is between 5 and 10 cm in diameter. It should not be larger than 10cm in diameter. This is unless there is a good reason.
Avoid removing branches that are weak or have narrow V-shaped angles. Be sure to keep branches with strong U-shaped angles.
At the point of attachment, lateral branches should not exceed one-half to three quarters of their stem counterparts. If they are larger than the stem at point of attachment, they should be removed.

The ratio of the tree’s height to the living crown should be equal to two-thirds after pruning is complete.

It is best to remove branches as soon as they are young. These branches are easier to manage and leave fewer scars.
Do not trim a branch too closely or too long. Do not cut off too much of the branch collar or leave it untrimmed.

Tree Pruning Tips

If you’re thinking of pruning a tree, these tips and tricks will guide you.

The following tips and tricks can be used to trim the crown of a tree:

You should keep lateral branches as evenly spaced, especially in young trees.
Take out branches that cross branches, or run at them.
Never take out more than one-fourth the living crown at once. Spread it over several years if you need to get rid of more.

Pruning the tree carefully can help to clear the way for pedestrians. At least two-thirds (or more) of the tree’s height should be kept alive. You may have trouble developing a strong stem if you remove too many branches from the bottom half.

Tree Trimming Techniques

Here are some tips for tree pruning:

Before cutting, check for the branch collar. It is located at the base of the branch tissue. The branch ridge can be found on the upper surface, parallel to the branch angle at stem.
Cut outside the branch bark edge and angle your cut away from the stem. You must not injure the collar of the branch.

The same technique is used to prune both dead and living branches.

If the stem is too long, the three-cut technique works well. Make a notch on one side of the stem and cut above the branch ridge. The second cut will be made inside the crotch of a branch; the third will remove the stub.

Tree Trimming & Pruning: Tips & Techniques