Tree Maintenance

It’s just about March which means Spring is almost here. In the Tri-Cities, Springtime is the “windy season”. If you have tall trees on or around your property, you will want to be mindful of how to properly thin your trees to keep them safe in blustery conditions. Let’s continue with our series on “all things pruning”.

Reducing the Crown
Reducing crown size places stress on a tree because many cuts are required. Although reduction cuts are preferred when reducing crown size, heading cuts are sometimes necessary. Reduction can lead to dead bark on top of retained branches from sudden sun exposure; this is very damaging to trees. For these reasons, it is best not to reduce the entire crown if at all possible, especially on mature trees. However, reduction is a useful pruning method which has many applications, especially when applied to selected portions of the crown for specific objectives. For example, it is a useful means of retaining very old trees. Trees have endured crown reduction since arriving on the planet having been reduced in size as they break in storms.

The objective is to make reduction cuts so lateral branch tips remain intact on the outer edge of the new, smaller crown. Ideally, pruning cuts should be hidden and the crown periphery should look a bit jagged. Resist the temptation to create a smooth crown outline by pruning retained lateral branches because these are destined to become the main branches on the new, smaller crown. Heading, shearing, tipping, lopping, or rounding-over are considered substandard techniques for reducing the size of a shade tree because they compromise the tree’s structure. If more than twenty-five or thirty percent of the foliage will be removed on anything but a young tree, consider dividing the job into two sessions, one growing season apart, to minimize starch energy removal and stress-induced sprouting.

We’re Here To Help!
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree removal needs in Benton City. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

Lower branches often have to be removed to clear them from traffic, to prune them away from a building or walk, make signs visible that were installed too far off the ground, or open up a desirable view. Shortening or thinning limbs in large trees is preferred over removal because of the negative health impacts of large limb removal. Crown raising does minimal damage to a tree as long as removed limbs are not too large, only a few branches are removed at one time, and many branches are not removed from the same spot. The best way to accomplish this is by structurally pruning over time to keep low branches small.

Removing too many low branches shifts future growth to the top of the tree. Wind is stronger there, and with no low branches, crown movement at the top of the tree can not be counter-acted, or damped, by the removed lower branches. Too much raising also causes dysfunctional wood leading to cracks and possibly decay inside the trunk. Removing too many lower branches can result in sunburn on the lower trunk and causes sprouting on the trunk and remaining limbs.

The crown ratio should be at least 60 percent, which means there should be living branches along the upper 60 percent of the trunk to distribute stress and develop trunk taper for stability and strength. Some branches should be left on the lower one-half of the trunk. Similarly, half the leaves on smaller limbs should originate from secondary branches on the lower two-thirds of these limbs where practical. Lions-tailing is not synonymous with crown raising and is considered inappropriate pruning. Removing up to 50 percent of the leaves and belonging to branches from the lower crown on conifers has little impact on subsequent growth and movement in wind. In contrast, thinning the top half of the crown would have a greater effect.

We’re Here To Help!
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree removal needs in Benton City. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

It’s just about March which means Spring is almost here. In the Tri-Cities, Springtime is the “windy season”. If you have tall trees on or around your property, you will want to be mindful of how to properly thin your trees to keep them safe in blustery conditions. Let’s continue with our series on “all things pruning”.

Improper Pruning Techniques
Sadly, the trunk or larger branches are sometimes pruned with heading cuts in order to bring a large tree to a specified size. This is called topping and is not recommended because it damages trees permanently. Heading large branches causes problems including large amounts of decay in many species, weak sprouts, and dead branch stubs. Topping can potentially kill trees. When a tree needs regular pruning to keep it small, perhaps the wrong tree was planted in that location. You might consider replanting with an appropriately sized plant, or else move the obstacle you were pruning the tree away from and structurally prune to develop strong structure. Heading cuts can be used occasionally when restoring trees following storms, and in other selected instances. Stripping out the small branches and foliage from the interior of the crown also damages trees.

We’re Here To Help!
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree removal needs in West Richland. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.