Thread: Tree Trimming Details

I have been doing stumps for 7 years and now going into the tree removal business. I told myself that I would only do removals but have been told if I want to stay busy i need to learn to trim. Questions that I have and I have no idea is does it matter what time of year to trim any type of tree? How thick on average do you leave the limb before cutting off the tips? I know you don't want o use spurs though i do see people use them quite often trimming. I see some people seal the end of a limb when they prune a small tree does this have to be done? I am really clueless about this and appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance.

ther's alot of money in trimming trees and bushes eazy money to be made in a days time if you can line up a couple of jobs.. you don't want to use spikes to trim trees. if you see people wearing them to trim they probably are not educated on the standards and dont take pride in their work.

Do not use spurs ever when you are trimming

Do not use any kind of sealer on an open wound, it only promotes rot and infection

Typically the dormant season is best to trim trees, but trees are trimmed year round and there isnt a HUGE difference. Some trees will bleed a little in the summer, but you should be ok.

I dont understand what you are asking in this question though...How thick on average do you leave the limb before cutting off the tips?

Eagle, The thickness i mean is where do you decide how far from the trunk or out on the limb do you cut off the end of the branches? I have seen some that doesn't go far down the limb where the limb is still thick and some are almost at the end and just cut enough to get rid of all the leaves. would it be up to the customer or should the trimmer just know?

Originally Posted by Barry Stumps

Eagle, The thickness i mean is where do you decide how far from the trunk or out on the limb do you cut off the end of the branches? I have seen some that doesn't go far down the limb where the limb is still thick and some are almost at the end and just cut enough to get rid of all the leaves. would it be up to the customer or should the trimmer just know?

Here's a pretty good site that shows you the basics of pruning:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/ho...ne/prun001.htm

Basically you want to cut it close to the trunk, but you dont want to cut the branch collar (where the branch swells up and meets the trunk).
Leaving part of a branch is bad. It makes it hard for the tree to close the wound and makes a nice place for rot and insects to start killing the tree.

Yeah, like Fumbler said, if you are going to get rid of the whole branch, then you should cut close to the trunk, but not a flush cut. NEVER EVER leave a stump, it not only looks stupid, but its also a perfect entry point for bacteria and fungi.

Here is a few tips that should help you out.
First learn about the branch collar so you can easily see it and then you will be able to know where to make a proper cut at.
Don't leave stubs, or cut branchs back to suckers. If cutting a branch back make sure what you are cutting it back to is at least 1/3rd the diameter of what you are removing.
Try to not make any large cuts on mature trees, exspecially maples. This will cause the tree lots of trees, and with maples the cut will most likely not heal and only lead to rot.
Spring and summer are the times when pruning can really damage the tree. You nned to make sure you don't take off too much so you do not shock the tree. Spring is for all the new growth and if you go cutting of a bunch of limbs, the tree is only wasting its resources in trying to make them bigger. And then summer is just due to the heat. The tree may already be stressed due to the heat and possible drought, and exessive pruning will only cause more harm.

Over time you will be able to know when are where to make certain cuts. Certain trees are more tolerable to a beating, and in just a year you are able to see trees you have pruned and see how they have reacted to what was done.

My advice is to know why you are trimming the tree before you ever start. Why are you removing that limb, how much are you removing, what will the response be to the removal at that point (both immediately and a year or two down the road. Learn basic tree biology, it is the operator's manual for the tree. Once you understand this you will basically know the answers to the questions I just asked. A good reference book is the Arboriculture 4th edition text by Harris, Clark and Matheny. Chapters 1, 2 and 14 will get you started. Try some different types of cuts on an old tree in the timber somewhere. See how it responds to heading and thinning cuts, cuts at the branch collar, those beyond and also through the collar. Or just walk around town and look at what others have done, both right and wrong.

Again, why is most important. How will come naturally if you know how the system works. Because the customer wants it that way is usually not a good answer to the why!

My thoughts,

Buy the Certified Arborist study guide from the ISA. It is worth every penny. Lots of good advice has been given in the above postings.

Another good book is Shigo's 'Tree Pruning, A worldwide Photo Guide'. Worth the money.

To me, the trick with pruning is knowing what not to cut and when to stop. It's something you do in stages over the course of years... a bit at a time. Like everyone is saying, the dormant period is the best time in general but different species have different times of year when they respond well to wounds. Deadwood removal is probably a good idea anytime of year but be careful... just climbing around in a tree can damage it if you bang up lots of small, healthy branches.

Climbing and working with somebody whose done it for years and years and seen a lot of wounds heal is the best way to learn it.

Once again great advice. I will find some of the books and web sights mentioned. Untill next time. Great job guys.