Having healthy trees on your property is more than just a matter of aesthetics. A tree can often live for generations, which makes them a family legacy. But healthy trees need our help, and part of keeping trees healthy is knowing the best way to trim and prune them to prevent disease, insect invasions, and even deter rot.
When is the best time to trim your trees?
Tree pruning is best in the spring, for many reasons. First, as trees are coming out of the dormant state, they are receiving more sunlight and nutrients in the form of rain. In the winter, they were growing, but much of the energy they were consuming was done without the benefit of leaves, and so the energy the tree was using was not as abundant, certainly not for healing over new cuts or loss of branches. Early spring gives the tree a chance for new growth to include healing the cuts on the branches, as well as giving you the advantage of knowing where you are cutting without a lot of leaves in the way. It is also an early enough time in the season where insects that could infest your tree at the new cuts aren’t as active as they are during the summertime. By the time they are out, your tree should be well on its way to healing the fresh cuts and keeping insects out.How to cut out dead branches
When cutting out dead branches or branches that are growing back towards the trunk, anything that can’t be removed with pruners or minimal effort with lobbers should be sawed with a three cut method using a pruning saw.- 6″ to 1ft. from the base of the branch, make a cut into the upper bark. It doesn’t need to go very far (and the weight of the branch will probably bend your saw anyway).
- About half an inch further out, begin your downward cut, supporting the branch as you go. It doesn’t need to meet the first cut. The first cut will prevent the second cut from stripping the bark from the underside of the branch when the branch comes down.
- The third cut needs to be made just above the branch collar, which is where all the new cells will eventually grow over the cut, keeping your tree healthy, free from rot, insects, and disease. This needs to be one continuous cut with a pair of sharp lobbers, pruners, or a pruning saw.
Espalier is one of the most artistic types of pruning. This pruning method encourages a tree or shrub to grow against a flat surface, wall, or structure to create an open and sculpted look. It is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages as a way to grow fruit within the confines of castle grounds in a more safe and controlled environment or to conserve space that might have been taken up by traditional orchards or gardens. Nevertheless, you don’t have to live in a castle or need to grow fruit to have espalier trees and shrubs. Many non-fruit bearing trees can be pruned in this way, such as Magnolias, Sasanqua, and Yews. Trees and shrubs that have more flexible branches are good candidates to espalier, and there are many different patterns or shapes in which a plant can be pruned.
Many of these plants are purchased already on a wooden trellis and trained to have this flattened growth habit in the nursery. Typically, they are put into the landscape and never touched, so the wooden trellis rots away, and the tree or shrub returns to its natural form. To have a successful espalier form, the trellis is removed, and often nails and wires are attached to a wall or side of the house which acts as guides to tie and direct the limbs. Then, aggressive pruning is done regularly throughout the growing season to create a form and keep the plant flat and open.
Espalier is not only beautiful; it’s also functional in its design. This pruning type increases the ornamental value and can take any traditional tree, shrub, or garden and transform it into a work of art. This style requires patience and diligence but is well worth it for the final product. Talk to one of our neighborhood Arborists for more information on Espalier Pruning and how to get started or how to restructure one you already have. We provide many services centered around shrub and 
