There are many reasons to prune a tree. Dead branches that are removed will make room for live ones to grow, for example, and this will especially be beneficial for fruit trees. Diseased or insect-infested limbs can be cut away to prevent the disease or infestation from reaching the rest of the tree; trees can be shaped to increase their visual appeal; and pruning can keep branches from blocking sidewalks, interfering with lines of sight, or approaching power lines or the roof of a house (especially dead branches), which can reduce danger in a storm.
There are proper ways to prune trees to preserve the health and beauty of the tree. One way is known as crown raising, which is the pruning of branches close to the ground; this gives the appearance of a “raised crown,” hence the name. Only a third of the living lower part of a tree’s crown should be pruned, with branches cut close to where the branch meets the trunk – or where smaller branches meet the larger ones – but at a slight distance (the mental image should be cut at the “shoulder,” not at the “neck”). Similar procedures should be employed for “crown thinning,” which is essentially a reduction of a tree crown’s horizontal spread.
Incorrect forms of pruning include “tipping,” which is the cutting of all growth that reaches horizontally past a certain limit with vertical cuts at the exact point where the growth is supposed to stop. This does terrible damage to a tree’s natural defense mechanisms and can render it vulnerable to insects, disease, and decay. Worse even than “tipping” is “topping,” which is when all the branches of a tree past a certain height are cut at the imaginary horizontal line. Like tipping, this increases vulnerability to insects, rot, and disease, even to sunburn.
If a tree has been topped, can it be repaired? The short answer is that in many cases it can. What can be done?
Fixing a topped tree: waiting
If topping has not actually killed the tree (which it can do), then it will begin to “heal” on its own. This involves the production of a number of small shoots known as “epicormic branches,” which are small, leafy, and not terribly visually appealing. Nevertheless, the best thing that can be done is to leave them alone until they reach the overall height of the tree before it was topped.
Making room for dominant sprouts
Once the tree’s height has returned, a look should be made into the tree’s new crown to find the so-called “leaders.” These will be the sprouts that are the tallest and thickest and are free from cracks. These will eventually become the new branches. Likewise, an inspection should be made for any thriving sprouts that look like they could eventually catch up in height and thickness to the leaders, and these should be cut back by about half. These lesser sprouts will eventually become limbs, but in the meantime, the leaders will not have to compete with them for sunlight. They should also be spaced about twelve inches apart, if possible.
Sprouts that are not as robust should be pruned right at the trunk or limb.
Repeat
Once this has been done, this exact process should be repeated every two years or so for the next six to ten years.
Let nature run its course
An alternative to the above procedure is to let the tree take care of itself. Trees will, given enough time, repair themselves, though they will take longer and will not be as sightly if left alone.
Call a professional
Those who want to speed up and manage a tree’s recovery from topping will have to undertake certain steps, which will include climbing high into the tree itself to find and trim shoots that are not thriving. Trimming must be done in the right way and with the right tools. For those who lack the ability to do this, an excellent option is to call an arborist. Arborists are specialists in the cultivation and management of trees, and they can prune trees – in a healthy manner – that are healing from topping.
The arborists at Promier Trees can provide either advice to homeowners in the Tri-Cities area who wish to manage their own trees, or they can prune trees for those who want it professionally done. In fact, Promier Trees offers a wide range of landscaping and arboricultural services. For a consultation, fill out the form on the website or call (423) 872-2988 and enlist help in creating or maintaining beautiful and healthy lawns and trees.