If you are fortunate enough to have a small forest of trees in your yard you might wonder how you can contain them. Trees can be both a very beautiful part of a landscape and very effective at blocking out much desired sun. How should you go about altering them or simply maintaining them? In most cases what is best for the tree is best for the homeowner. Sometimes the needs of man and nature collide. Here are some basic principals:

• The best pruning is ongoing, throughout the life of the tree. It is great fun to plant a small tree and live at that location long enough to see it grow into a big one. By selective thinning you can pick which branches to keep and by removing others channel plant energy into remaining ones.
• Ongoing pruning can control tree size, stimulate healthy flower and fruit growth, and shape the tree into traditional or unique forms.
• If you are on the early side of landscaping and planning, select tree sizes based upon their mature size. Trees planted too close to a house rarely seem so when planted from a 2 or 5 gallon container.

Pruning Tips

• Branches 1″ or less are cut with hand or long handles pruning shears with a single cut next to the base of the tree. Remove dead and  unwanted  branches, and some of those that are grouped too close together.
• Larger branches are cut by hand or chainsaw by first under cutting as much as 1/3 of the branch, about 2″ out from desired cut line. Make a second cut from the top down just outside your first undercut. Then cut from top down at planned location. This helps prevent bark splitting.
• When branches split or bark is pealed apply tree salve.  Sometimes a wrapping is necessary.

What if I want to top my trees?

• Tree topping is hard on trees. Tree topping can help bring light into your property, but severe topping weakens trees, making them more vulnerable to insects and disease. Topping is a reasonable choice if you are open to losing the tree if the tree doesn’t react well to the pruning. Some trees do survive and even thrive after a topping but you have to assume the risk of losing the tree.
• Consider instead how limbing lower dead and insignificant branches can help bring in low angled winter light and general thinning throughout might bring in pinpoints of light.
• You may benefit from removing some of your trees to bring in light or a betterview of your house from the street. Emotionally it is hard to let go of a full grown tree. Sometimes it opens up a whole new world for your yard and home.

Trees do not look as tall as they really are from the ground. What seems like a simple task in pruning and branch removal can be a colossal chore and may be beyond the scope of work a homeowner can safely do. Consider the advice and services of a recommended tree professional (arborist) for any projects above head height and of any substantial scope.