Urban trees play a vital role in enhancing the aesthetics of our environment while offering numerous ecological benefits. However, these trees require proper care and regular maintenance. One essential aspect of tree care is pruning, which involves removing specific tree parts to enhance its health and aesthetic appeal. However, like all good things, pruning requires a delicate balance. Over-pruning can have detrimental effects on trees and your budget. Let’s dive into some pruning rules of thumb and why not over-prune trees.

Over Pruning Tree

Why Pruning is Necessary?

Tree pruning in urban environments is essential for many reasons. While trees in wild forests naturally shed dead or broken branches and grow in whichever direction to reach sunlight, such behavior is undesirable in urban trees. Dropping branches can damage pedestrians, vehicles, and property beneath the tree. Tree branches can also grow into signs, windows, and lights, all of which obscure views. So, tree pruning helps maintain a safe and aesthetically pleasing environment, helping people and the property.

Moreover, proper pruning promotes tree health by increasing air circulation and sunlight penetration within the canopy. Pruning can be done to direct the growth and shape of the tree, which is crucial in urban settings where space may be limited.

The Four D’s of Tree Pruning You Should Stick To

An effective approach to tree pruning revolves around what arborists call the 4 D’s: dead, diseased, damaged, and distance. These criteria can guide tree owners in deciding which branches to prune and why. 

  1. Dead Branches: Dead branches should be promptly removed as they detract from the tree’s appearance and pose a safety hazard. Dead wood can easily break and fall, endangering people or the property below. Dead wood is also dry, increasing flammability.
  1. Diseased Branches: Branches affected by disease can spread the ailment to the rest of the tree if not pruned. Removing these diseased branches helps contain the issue and promotes the tree’s health. Some tree diseases can also cause internal decay, compromising the branch’s structural integrity. Such branches should be removed before they risk breaking and failing.
  1. Damaged Branches: Any branches that are structurally damaged, whether due to storms, accidents, or pests, should be pruned. This prevents further harm while also improving the tree’s health and structure.
  1. Distance Pruning: This means removing branches that are too close together or rubbing against each other. Maintaining appropriate spacing between branches ensures a balanced canopy and reduces the risk of damage and the likelihood of disease spread.

Distance pruning also involves the distance between the branches and their surroundings. Maintain space between the trees and buildings, streetlights, signs, sidewalks, and roads.

How Much to Remove?

When pruning, it’s crucial to exercise prudence to avoid over-pruning. Generally, it’s recommended to remove no more than 20-25% of the tree’s canopy in a single pruning session. The older the tree, the less able it is to tolerate heavy pruning. Removing too much foliage can stress the tree, hinder its ability to photosynthesize effectively, and disrupt its growth patterns. Gradual and conservative pruning allows the tree to adjust and recover, promoting healthier and more sustainable growth.

over pruned tree

Why Over Pruning is Bad for Your Trees?

Over-pruning, sometimes done as a topping or lion tailing, involves removing an excessive amount of a tree’s canopy. The result often leaves stubs or reduces the tree to an unnaturally small size that goes against its genetic growth pattern. This practice is harmful and can seriously affect the tree’s health and longevity.

  1. Shock and Stress: Over-pruning shocks the tree by removing a significant portion of its foliage, disrupting its ability to photosynthesize and feed itself. This weakens the tree and makes it more susceptible to diseases, pests, and stressful environmental factors.

 

  1. Rapid Growth of Weak Shoots: In response to severe pruning, trees often produce numerous weak, fast-growing shoots known as watersprouts. These shoots are poorly attached and structurally weak, making the tree more prone to breakage.

 

  1. Pests and Disease: Pests and diseases are often attracted to weaker trees that make fewer defense compounds. Large pruning wounds also make a convenient entry or infection point for insects and bacterial or fungal spores.

What Not to Do

1. Don’t Top

Topping is severely removing large branches, leaving stubs or a naked tree trunk. Tree owners sometimes believe this will reduce tree size, minimize pruning needs, and save money. But, topping shocks trees into rapid regrowth and can result in starvation, stress, decay, and disease.

2. Don’t Lions Tail

Lions tailing strips away the tree’s inner branches and leaves. This creates bald branches with tufted ends that resemble lion’s tails. These branches now have heavier end weight and are more likely to break. The naked branches are more prone to sunscald and bark damage, inviting pests and disease to enter.

More Pruning, More Problems

Trees that have been over-pruned often require even more frequent pruning to manage the excessive growth of weak shoots. If left untouched, these gangly, weak branches can become a liability and incur even greater costs should they fail. This increases the overall pruning needs of the tree and may lead to a cycle of ongoing damage and resprouting, wasting both time and money!

Over-pruned trees are also more attractive to pests and diseases yet less able to fight them off. This means higher treatment costs are needed when applying pesticides and fungicides. Furthermore, a weak and ugly tree lowers aesthetic appeal and property value, helping neither the tree nor the tree owner.

Why You Should Leave It to the Experts?

Given the intricacies and potential risks associated with pruning, it’s often best to leave this task to certified arborists or tree care professionals. At A Plus Tree, we possess the knowledge, skills, and equipment required to carry out pruning safely, effectively, and tree-friendly. Our arborists assess the specific needs of each tree, determine the right amount of canopy to remove, and ensure that the 4 D’s of pruning are followed diligently.