Pruning

A proper pruning cut:

before after

Pruning is foundational to good tree health. How and where the pruning cuts are made is crucial to the healing process. Our crews are trained to make scientifically correct cuts which facilitate proper closure to the wound. Not all tree companies do work with such care.

Young trees have different pruning requirements than mature or over mature trees. Species and vigor are other factors that affect how a tree is pruned.

It is important to understand the meaning of words used by arborists. Contracts for pruning work should be written with ANSI A300 definitions and to ANSI A300 specs.

Basic "tree work" definitions:

1. Crown cleaning is the removal of dead or dying branches. Good specs should identify the removal of deadwood down to a certain size. For example "Prune out deadwood larger than one inch in diameter or longer than three feet."

2. Crown thinning is the selective removal of crowding or self- wounding, rubbing branches.

3. Crown raising is the removal of low-hanging branches. An A300 spec would read " Raise crown of front yard Red Oak to a height of twelve feet over street."

4. Crown reduction is the lowering of the height of a tree by pruning back leader branches to the next intersecting branch. This is not heading or topping but rather choosing new leaders from lower in the crown.

(972) 690-1841

Email: jmangan@dallastreespecialists.com

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