Majestic, oxygenating giant of the plant kingdom, the Tree is the longest-living known life from on Earth.
Having first appeared more than 500 million years ago, the tree made a significant impact on the atmosphere. Being called the guardians of the availability of air to breathe, the kings of the plant kingdom exist in over one hundred thousand forms.
They are so resilient that they survive thousands of years. Living in Nevada, USA, is a tree that is well over 4,000 years of age.
Its name is Prometheus: one of the oldest, documented living organisms known to Humanity. They create wildlife habitat, provide a number of uses, and perhaps are the most versatile plant from a human perspective.
Even removing branches (correctly of course) serves to make them stronger.
Even from seedlings to fully formed trees, any of these majestic plants can be encouraged to develop new branches and even to grow taller and/or wider.
Why Cut a Tree’s Branches at All?
Like any other plant, trees may need to be pruned for various reasons.
Branches can be broken off from adverse weather; they can get damaged from animals, insects and fungi; and some can become so large and thick that their lower branches cannot reach the Sun and die off.
People also prune trees because they become unsightly, annoying or simply want them to look a certain way.
No matter what reason has brought you here, there is a right way of doing it, given the size of the tree.
In the case of huge trees, with big branches, you should leave it to a professionally trained Tree Surgeon (Arborist), but if you have a reasonable manageable tree, here are some guidance to be able to do it in the best way possible and safely.
You also have to bear in mind that, in England, there is legislation that protects trees and you may even need planning permission or a Felling licence, to chop down or remove a tree.
The first Step: Check your Local Authority, if you intend to change or cut a tree down – and not doing this may subject you to prosecution! (best case)
Lower Branches
Due to excessive shading from branches above them, sometimes lower branches must be trimmed because they don’t become active enough to grow properly for sunlight, which is the tree’s primary means of ensuring survival.
Branches will become inactive for varying reasons. These inactive branches look unattractive, but they also reduce the overall strength of the tree because all branches serve a purpose.
However, a failing branch can lead to unnecessary distress for the tree.
In this situation, removing the branch with a failed will be warranted and likely required. Unfortunately, the same can be said for a damaged branch and, to further complicate, a branch that is rotting.
There are, however, some circumstances or rules that should be followed to avoid damaging your tree.
When Not to Remove Branches
In instances where: a cut would result in a large open wound, or a large amount of leaves is going to be removed with the cut.
In these cases you are leaving the tree open to starvation, illness, and death.
The final cut should not be larger than the circumference of the trunk, the addressing branch or stem that was ties back to trunk.
Must be smaller so that the tree has enough strength to survive loss of the limb.
Cutting Branches
Taking off a limb can be a complex operation.
Simply cutting them is feasible; however, it can result in unintended damage.
Cutting from the higher side of the limb can result in the limb’s weight pulling it down and breaking prematurely, which will severely damage the tree; potentially stripping it of some of its essential bark, and potentially creating a deep wound.
Each limb has a bark ridge (lower) and branch collar (upper) area where the limb attaches to the trunk or mother limb.
Good Practice: As with the pruning of any plant, the cut should be at an angle to have a diagonal cut from the lower bark ridge to the upper branch collar, which will have more control of the cut and eliminate the chance of the tree splitting.
Timing Is Key
It’s best to take branches off when the leaves are matured & hardened – this will optimally happen in the latter stage of Spring and through Summer.
If you prune in early Spring for example they will most probably bleed and lose valuable energy/nutrition in doing so.
Trees in the Prunus family of trees – there are many fruit trees in this family for example Cherry trees, Plum, Peach and even Apricot trees – need the Summer season, as they produce a resin that helps them fight off diseases, from pathogens that are present in trees and are common to trees with a wound.
If you leave a tree with a wound exposed in the cold of winter – this is one of the worst things to do.
Topping Trees Vs Crown Reduction
It’s better to reduce the tree’s crown instead of “topping” the tree.
This terrible method reduces the tree to a naked form – which encourages new growth, because the tree has little choice in its own survival.
Some forms of plants topping is considered useful – and in a few situations increase yield.
When you top a tree, you leave multiple open wounds, which are risky as we have discussed previously.
Some sources praised Topping as a rejuvenating process that will stop branches from competing for space, and has additional benefits – but others source call this a myth.
Prune carefully to reduce a tree’s crown. Cut it back tirely (if we can say exhausting), and harvest only small significant sections.
This is considered a healthier option, even for an unhealthy tree with numerous damaged sections.
First, there are times when topping could be uncontrollable, but… it would be always a last option, if you want your desired outcome with least amount of harm.
Think twice – topping a tree can literally starve it, and not all trees can recover from such terrible amounts of stress.
Things to Remember
- A branch will never grow back, once it is gone it is gone, but it could potentially be replaced by a new branch from one of the newly growing buds around it.
- Make sure to fertilize after every pruning you carry out to assist with new branch growth.
- You should not cut into the trunk when you are removing branches. It’s a good idea to leave some branch wood to hide the trunk to protect it and to encourage healthy growth.
- Having said that, your tree may or may not start putting out new branches again, you may have to be quite patient, it may take some time.
- You should always cut only the main shoot of the branch at the closest growth point, if at all possible.
- Use proper tools or a qualified Tree Surgeon depending on what tools you have – whether this entails a set of pruners, long-reach pruners, or a chainsaw for larger branches.
- Stay on top of younger trees and prune them frequently this will allow you to remove any crossings branches before they begin to pose conflict nearing one another.
- Finally, only ever remove a maximum of a third of the overall tree size. Whether this be a third of the overall size each branch you are cutting should only be trimmed of no more than one third at a time.
Final Thoughts
Don’t view trimming branches as destruction. View it as rejuvenation.
If a branch has been damaged or broken in storms or high winds, there are always good options to assist the branch to regrow and become even stronger later.
Most trees will not die or suffer too much if they lose a branch or several branches and even if they lose a lot of branches overall.
Trees and bushes can weather the harshest of nature and bounce back in spite of all odds.