Pruning is an essential process of tree service. The benefits that it brings to the tree are immeasurable. You should therefore ensure you do a proper pruning of the trees. Use the right tools to prune. Ensure you understand different pruning methods. Apply the best method on your trees. Proper pruning is an art that should be done carefully. The art is based on the principles of science in plant physiology. At basic level pruning entails the removal of weak limbs, dead and damaged branches. All these are aimed at improving the tree’s health. It also reduces the chances of property damage by falling limbs of the tree. However, there are more advanced methods of pruning. These are methods that aims at improving the tree long term health and structure. The following are major basic tree pruning method.
- Clean Pruning
As the word cleaning suggests, this is a pruning that is aimed at cleaning the tree. It’s a selective pruning that is aimed at removing unwanted parts of the tree. These are the diseased, broken, dead and dying branches of the tree. This type of pruning is mainly done to reduce the risk of branches and other parts of the trees falling on property. The pruning also removes decayed parts to prevent further decay of the tree. Clean Pruning also ensures that insects and pests from the dead or diseased branches are removed from the tree. This prevents further infections. This type of pruning is only done on grown trees. This is because it only removes unwanted branches and not live branches of the tree.
- Thin Pruning
This is a type of pruning that is done on mature trees to remove live branches. It’s a selective pruning. It’s done to reduce the density of the tree and main branches. Some live branches are removed to reduce the weight of the main branches. It is aimed at reducing density at the crown edges. The density reduction minimizes the risk of live branches breaking. It also allows sun light to penetrate in the branches. Air movement is also enhanced in the tree due to the openings.
- Raise Pruning
This is a type of pruning that is aimed at providing vertical clearance. Raise pruning mainly focuses on removing lower branches of trees. This is mainly aimed at clearing for the vision of signs, buildings, vehicles, vistas and pedestrians. This type of pruning is mainly aimed at clearing environment for safety purposes.
- Reduction Pruning
This is a type of pruning that is aimed at reducing the height or spread of the trees. It’s mainly done to reduce heights, minimize chances of tree failure, to clear vegetation of building or allow utility line clearance.
A good pruning is the pruning that is goal oriented. A pruning that is aimed at achieving some results. It’s important before pruning you understand the goals of the pruning. This will ensure that you prune the tree in the best ways. At the end of the pruning you will also get your desired results.