My Landscape (1 of 4): Pruning Non-Flowering Trees
February 2nd, 2012 -- by JonMoultrie
9014 FLETCHER PARK CIR S
Whether you plan to stay in your home forever or want to sell this year, you need to maintain your landscaping. Now that some of the cooler weather is behind us, it is time to start looking outside.
Hiring someone to do your landscaping can be very expensive and often unnecessary. With a little know-how and the right tools you can easily tackle those overgrown trees and leaf-filled flower beds. One of the first things you want to do, if you didn’t do it back in the fall, is prune your trees. Pruning helps strengthen and beautify your trees and should be done annually. Typically there are three reasons to prune a tree: safety, health, and aesthetics.
While some large trees require trained professionals due to the height and risk of falling, for smaller trees all you need is a little patience and a saw. The last thing you want to do is run out to your tree and start hacking away without a plan. Doing so could likely damage the tree and cause future problems with its growth.
Follow these steps for easy tree pruning:
1. Evaluate your tree.
a. Safety: Any limbs that risk falling and damaging property or injuring someone, those that block line of sight from the street, and those that are growing into utility lines should be removed.
b. Health: Any crossing, diseased, or insect-infested branches should be removed. Thinning the crown of the tree to improve airflow also improves the health of the tree.
c. Aesthetics: This should be done to attain the desired shape of the tree and to promote flowering.
2. Less is more.
a. Never prune more than 25% off of your tree. The more you prune the more susceptible the tree is to disease. There are three different approaches to pruning: crown thinning (reduce from within), crown raising (reduce from the bottom), and crown reduction (reduce from the top).
3. Use the right tools.
Always use a clean saw so that you do not introduce bacteria into the tree. Clean between trees. What tools should you use?
Hand pruners (up to 2.5 cm diameter)
Pruning Saw (up to 10 cm)
Loping Saw (up to 7 cm)
Chainsaw (over 10 cm)
Pole Prunner (out of reach and up to 4.4 cm)
Before running out to get pruning, be aware that there are five kinds of pruning that will harm your trees.
1. Topping
2. Tipping
3. Bark Ripping
4. Flush Cutting
5. Stub Cutting
More information about your trees and how best to care for them can be obtained at the How to Prune Trees and the Tree Registry.
Tags: How to Prune Trees, Improving Home Value, Pruning Guide, Real Estate in Arlington