Trees normally do not need to be staked and staking can be harmful to the tree. Staking should be done only with the approval of the landscape architect if it is expected that the tree will not be able to support itself. The following are reasons why trees do not remain straight:

• Trees with poor-quality root balls or root balls that have been cracked or damaged, reject rather than stake
• Trees that have grown too close together in the nursery, resulting in weak trunks, reject rather than stake
• Planting procedures that do not adequately tamp soils around the root ball correct the planting procedure
• Root balls placed in soft soil, tamp soils under root ball prior to planting
• Trees located in a place of extremely windy conditions, staking advisable.

If staking is advised, use the following guidelines:

Wire or cable sizes shall be as follows:

• Trees up to 65mm (2.5 in) caliper – 14 gauge
• Trees 65mm (2.5 in) to 75 mm (3in) – 12 gauge

Tighten wire or cable only enough to keep from slipping. Allow for some trunk movement. Plastic hose shall be long enough to accommodate 35mm (1.5 in) of growth and buffer all branches from the wire. Tuck any loose ends of the wire or cable into the wire wrap so that no sharp wire ends are exposed.

For trees that are 3 inches caliper or larger:

All stakes shall be driven outside the edges of the root ball.

For trees that are 3 inches caliper or less:

All stakes shall be driven outside the edges of the root ball.

Assure that the bearing surface of the protective covering of the wire or cable against the tree trunk is a minimum of 12 mm (0.5 in).

Remove all staking as soon as the tree has grown sufficient roots to overcome the problem that required the tree to be staked. Stakes shall be removed no later then the end of the first growing season after planting.

Guidelines based on ISA standards.

Crown clean

Crown Clean is a pruning technique and is to include the following: (1) remove dead, broken or diseased limbs 1 inch in diameter or larger; (2) remove rubbing or crossing branch; (3) if two limbs (1 inch diameter or larger) originate within 12 inches of each other on the truck, shorten or remove one of them. (4) Remove weakly attached branches along with suckers and some water sprouts. Do not remove all water sprouts and do not remove only interior branches.

Use directional pruning where possible to future growth is directed away from buildings and lights.

Although small-diameter limbs may occasionally be pruned to gain access into the tree, it will not be necessary to make cuts smaller that 1 inch in diameter, other than where branches may be shortened to accommodate clearance beneath the canopy.

Do not strip out the interior foliage leaving only live branches at the ends of branches.

Crown raise

Crown Raise is a technique to increase ground clearance to by underpruning.

Many trees are over-pruned when the canopy is raised (top right). After proper crown raise, a good goal is to have foliage on branches in the upper 2/3 of the tree (bottom). Live crown ratio should be at least 60%. Small-diameter branches left on the lower trunk for about a year pruning help close pruning would and protect the tree by providing shade to that region. They also help hide pruning wounds.

Crown reduction

Crown reduction is a pruning technique in which the appropriate laterals are cut back (nothing larger than 1/3 the diameter of where the branch is attached) to reduce the height and/or width of a tree.

Canopy reduction makes a tree smaller by removing the end portion of branches with reduction cute (lower right). Inappropriate reduction uses heading cuts and can result in more problems later (lower left).

Crown thin

Selectively remove limbs to increase light and air in the tree’ canopy, and to reduce wind sail. Thinning shall be conducted by removing branches from the parent branch.

“Lions-tailing” shall not be performed. (Lion-tailing is the practice of removing only the inner branches closet to the trunk on a parent branch and leaving the branches located toward the end of the parent branch.)

Do not remove more than 20% of live foliage unless indicated otherwise.

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These are the general pruning guidelines that ArborPLUS vendors are required to follow:

Tree Maintenance & Care Specifications

Pruning cuts shall be in accordance with ANSI A300 pruning standards (latest edition).

Preference will be given to firms who have a least one certified arborist on their staff. Certification is through International Society of Arboriculture, Champaign, IL. An ISA certified arborist shall be on site at least once each day.

All work shall be performed by workers trained in accordance with ANSI Z133.1 safety guidelines as required by OSHA.

All debris shall be removed from the site at the throughout the job.

Only Compliance Depot approved firms are allowed to submit bids.

Violation of these procedures and techniques could result in termination of your contract without payment.

Tools and Equipment

Climbing spurs shall not be used when climbing trees, except to climb a tree to be removed or to perform aerial rescue of an injured worker.

Equipment and work practices that damage bark or cambium should be avoided.

Rope injury from loading out heavy limbs should be avoided.

Procedures and Techniques

The foliage removed shall be taken primarily from the outer edge of the canopy, not from the interior. No more that 20% of the foliage shall be removed from any tree unless otherwise specified.

Dead branches greater than 1.5 inches in diameter (measured at the base of the branch) shall be removed from the canopy of all trees that are pruned.

When removing a dead branch, the final cut shall be made outside the collar of the living woundwood tissue. If the collar has grown out along the dead branch stub, only the dead stub shall be removed; the living collar shall remain intact and uninjured regardless of its length.

Live branches less than 1.5 inch diameter should not be removed. No live branches or stems greater than 3 inches diameter should be removed from the tree unless otherwise specified.

When removing a live branch at its point of origin on the trunk or from a parent branch, the final pruning cut shall be made in branch tissue just outside the branch bark ridge and collar. No stubs shall be left. (A stub is the remaining branch tissue to the outside of the collar and branch bark ridge.)

Live crown ratio should be at least 60% when pruning is completed meaning that no more than the lower 40% of the tree shall be clear of branches.

Removal and reduction cuts shall be used, and not heading cuts.

Young trees shall be pruned primarily with reduction cuts, with the intention of developing a dominant trunk.

Tree canopies that were cold damaged or topped several years ago shall be restoration pruned in order to improve their structure and form.

Neither wound dressings nor tree paints should be applied to any pruning cuts.

Only compliance depot confirmed companies will be allowed to submit a bid.

Cut limbs shall either be removed from the canopy upon completion of the pruning or periodically at times when the tree would be left unattended or at the end of the workday.

Never top a tree. Instead prune to retain its natural shape.