Pruning Techniques

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.

 

Appropriate thinning removes small branches from the edge of the canopy (right). Inappropriate thinning removes only interior and lower branches (left).

Clearance pruning

Clearance pruning is for the purpose to create or  increase clearance from buildings, wires, lights, sidewalks, roads, etc. by heading back or remove limbs.

Legal clearance specifications:

• Walls – 3ft clearance
• Roof – 5ft clearance
• Sidewalk – 8ft vertical clearance
• Chimney – 10ft clearance
• Roads – 12ft vertical clearance

Corrective pruning

Corrective pruning is technique used to train young trees for good form and structure by developing strong dominant leader. Shorten stems that compete with the leader using reduction cuts.

 

Shorten vigorous, aggressive branches in the permanent nursery canopy using reduction cuts. If two vigorous branches are growing opposite on e another, shorten one (lower right branch ‘a’) more than the other (lower left branch ‘b’). The one shortened the most will grow the slowest. The other one will become the one main branch at this point.

Structural Pruning

Structural pruning is a technique for mature trees to develop for a strong dominant leader by shortening competing stems and branches that compete with the stem that will make the best trunk.

 

Thinning the side of the canopy opposite if the subordination reduction cut improves the appearance of the tree by balancing the canopy. This could help the customer accept this structural pruning technique.

Codominant Leaders and Stems

Codominant leaders are considered to be two or more branches, trunks, or leaders of approximately the same size, originating in close proximity to one another.

Due to the recognized potential hazards associated with the codominant leaders, the subordination (shortening using a reduction cut) or removal of one side of a codominant leader is the primary objective. The main leader should not be subordinated, headed or removed.

Palm tree pruning

All large-growing palms, should be pruned to remove dead fronds, and fronds with a petiole that droops below horizontal.

Dead fronds are those with less than 50% green tissue.

All seedpods should also be removed including those originating among remaining fronds.

When removing fronds and seedpods, care shall be taken so those fronds that are to remain are not nicked or wounded.