How and why to prune your trees

Nova Scotians know better than to trust a couple of 14+ days in early March, but even though we aren’t out of the winter woods, now is a perfect time to plan your TREE PRUNING!

We are here for all your professional tree pruning needs, but there is a lot you can enjoy yourself with some solid fundamentals.

Below we set out some of the key REASONS TO PRUNE after sharing our TOP TIPS to help you get the most from your pruning endeavours.

If you need any extra help with pruning, whether it’s reviving and balancing your ornamentals, improving accessible yields on your fruit trees, removing damaged, dead or dangerous limbs or setting your trees up for long-term balance and health, visit Knotty Tree Care and book your FREE consult to discuss your questions, know your options and get an estimate!

Pruning trees can be a very mindful and rewarding practice – especially if you get into an annual rhythm 😊. Here are some of our favourite guideposts to help you.

TOP TIPS:

1. The right tools! You want to make clean cuts and not tear the bark or bend or break the branch. The three key tools for pruning are:
   1. Secateurs (hand pruners)
   2. Loppers (two-handed pruners)
   3. Hand/pruning saw

   These three tools effectively handle 99% of pruning cuts. See the picture below for what you’ll need!

2. The right time! Late winter/early spring (i.e. now) or late fall are ideal, but most trees will tolerate pruning at other times of the year if needed (though they may require some additional water and nutrition).
3. The right cuts! Start with the easy stuff—cut out stubs, deadwood, and branches that demonstrate damage, decay, or cross over other branches. Try to promote stronger “L”-shaped connections between the trunk/stem and secondary branches/limbs, and reduce weaker “Y” or “V”-shaped connections. Look for a balanced canopy.
4. The right amount! Generally, you should not remove more than 25%–35% of live tissue from the canopy. All pruning involves some degree of stress for trees, but going over 25%–35% can shock them. This won’t necessarily kill a tree, but it can cause it to go into “survival mode” and produce significant water shoots and sucker growth that can undo the beautiful canopy structure you are working to establish or maintain.
5. The right way! Make all cuts, where possible, at the branch collar. Do not leave a large stub, and do not cut a branch off flush to the trunk or stem, as both practices deprive the tree of important tissues that help it heal and resist infection. See the pictures for illustrations.

Of course this list does not address every best practice or approach for pruning trees, but they capture the fundamentals to support a rewarding and successful pruning practice.

REASONS TO PRUNE

1. Strength! Trees with proper branch structures and canopy balance are more resilient to wind, snow, storms, and other weather events, making them less susceptible to breaking or failing.
2. Health! Trees that allow adequate airflow and light penetration receive more balanced nutrition, improving their overall health and resistance to disease while creating less favourable conditions for fungi and other health risks.
3. Function! Proper pruning to provide clearance for your house, walkway, driveway, garden, utilities, or other property features ensures your trees are a functional complement to your property rather than a nuisance. It is best to be proactive with pruning to avoid making significant reductions to a tree’s canopy in a single year to achieve a functional goal.
4. Safety! Especially for larger trees near utilities, walkways, driveways, or other areas where people or sensitive property may be present, removing damaged, weak, dead, or decaying branches and addressing structural issues helps reduce the risk of limb failure, property damage, and injury.
5. Food! Proper pruning of fruit and nut trees maximizes both yield and accessibility, ensuring you can enjoy all the benefits of your trees.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning aesthetics as a good reason to prune your trees. Though not always top of mind, properly pruned trees are appealing to look at and can add personal enjoyment (and curb value) to your property.

At Knotty Tree Care we apply all of these principles to our professional tree pruning services, which are always aimed at achieving your functional priorities and ensuring strong, healthy and beautiful trees for the short and long term!

We love to help you make the most of your trees – visit Knotty Tree Care to find out more and to schedule your FREE consultation.