A Look At Ornamental
Plant Management
Pruning Trees
No Flush Cuts,
Gutting, or Lifting
January 6th, 2013
Howard Garrett
Media Release ― Newsletter
Selected And Adapted Excerpts
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Introduction
Is it time to thin trees and cut off the lower limbs ?
The answers to these common pruning questions might surprise you.
There seems to be an abundance of curious tree pruning advice still around.
Let’s try to straighten it out.
It IS a good time to prune.
( See next segment. )
However, pruning too much is the most common pruning mistake.
FEW TREES NEED MAJOR PRUNING EVERY YEAR.
Other than some fruit trees, FEW TREES NEED ANNUAL THINNING.
Unless lower limbs are a physical interference, THEY SHOULD BE LEFT ON THE TREE.
TREES CAN BE SEVERELY DAMAGED OR EVEN KILLED BY REMOVING TOO MANY LOWER LIMBS.
Plus it looks bad.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Timing
Landscape trees can be pruned AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR, but THE BEST TIME IS FROM FALL TO LATE WINTER.
Fruit trees should be pruned from MID-WINTER UP UNTIL BUD BREAK.
Certain fruit trees, like peach trees, should only be pruned JUST BEFORE BUD BREAK because pruning induces bud break and flowering.
For fruit trees like peach, early flowers and late freezes spell no fruit.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Amount Of Pruning
Pruning trees is part science and part art.
Don’t try to change the character and overall, long-term shape of a tree, and don’t remove lower limbs to raise the canopy.
Low-growing limbs exist for a reason.
It’s very unnatural to strip tree trunks bare.
If you think that looks good, think again.
Remove dead, diseased, broken or damaged limbs, and the weakest of crossing limbs.
Remove limbs that grow toward the center of the tree and limbs that are dangerous or physically interfere with buildings or activities.
It is very important to remove one of the co-dominant upward shoots to leave strong growth without « V » shaped crotches.
Thinning to eliminate a certain percentage of the foliage is usually a MISTAKE.
Heavy thinning of a tree’s canopy throws the plant out of balance, inviting wind and ice storm damage.
The resulting stress attracts diseases and insect pests.
Gutting ( heavy interior pruning ) is NEVER APPROPRIATE.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Pruning Cuts
Pruning cuts should be made with SHARP TOOLS.
Hand tools such as bow saws, Japanese pruning saws, loppers, and pole pruners are good for small limbs.
Chain saws can be used for larger limbs, but only with great care and a thorough understanding of the equipment.
FLUSH CUTS SHOULD NEVER BE MADE.
Cuts leaving 1/16-inch stubs are also BAD.
Pruning cuts should be made AT THE POINT WHERE THE BRANCH MEETS THE TRUNK, just outside the branch collar.
The branch collar stub can be as small as 1/8-1/4-inch on small limbs, but can be several inches to as much as a foot or more wide on large limbs.
It will also be wider at the bottom of the limb than at the top.
Cuts made at the right place leave a round wound.
Improper flush cuts leave oval cuts and CAUSE DECAY AND CAVITIES that form in the trunk long term.
It’s scientific fact that CUTTING INTO OR REMOVING BRANCH COLLARS CAUSE PROBLEMS LIKE DECAY AND CAVITIES.
Flush cuts encourage DECAY at the top and bottom of the cuts.
They also DESTROY the natural protective zone between the trunk and the branch and can cause several other SERIOUS TREE PROBLEMS, including CANKERS, CRACKS, DECAYED WOOD, DISCOLORED WOOD, RESIN POCKETS,
SLOWED GROWTH OF NEW WOOD, SUN INJURY, and WET WOOD,
Proper cuts are round, are smaller, and will heal much faster.
Peach, plum, apricot, and other fruit trees, are particularly SENSITIVE TO FLUSH CUTS.
Many fruit tree insects and disease problems are related to improper pruning cuts.
Long branch STUBS can also be DETRIMENTAL and should be avoided.
However, it is always better to err on the side of STUBS being too long rather than too short.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Wound Dressings
Research by Alex Shigo, Carl Whitcomb, and the U.S. Forest Service, has shown that PRUNING PAINT AND WOUND DRESSINGS HAVE NO BENEFIT, and can be harmful by slowing the healing process.
Healthy tissue needed for callus formation can be DAMAGED or KILLED by pruning paint or dressings.
Trees have defense cells, much like white blood cells in mammals.
These lignin cells are produced on the backside of a wound to naturally prevent diseases from entering fresh cuts.
Just as a cut finger heals faster when exposed to the air, so does a tree wound.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Cavities
Cavities are often CAUSED BY FLUSH CUTS.
Cavities in trees are voids where fungi have rotted healthy material.
They are usually the result of physical injury.
Removing only the decayed material is the remedy.
Fillers such as concrete and foam are at best cosmetic and NOT RECOMMENDED.
When removing decayed matter from cavities, be careful not to cut or punch into the living tissue.
Injuries to healthy tissue can introduce further decay into the healthy wood.
When cavities hold water, drain tubes are sometimes inserted to release water.
This procedure is a BAD IDEA.
Drain tubes puncture the protective barriers between the rotted and healthy wood and allow decay to expand.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Cabling
Weak crotches between limbs can sometimes be stopped from splitting by installing cables horizontal to the ground so the natural movement of the tree is not completely stopped.
Cabling used to hold up low growing limbs is POOR TREE CARE and A WASTE OF MONEY.
Cabling can be VERY DANGEROUS, and should only be done by professional arborists.
Again, removing half of the « V » shaped vertical growth is a BETTER WAY to prevent the splitting and have a healthier tree.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Examples of BAD PRUNING
Many tree pruners are gutters ( i.e. heavy thinning ) and lifters ( i.e. cutting off lower limbs ).
Some home-owners are too ― especially men.
It’s genetic, manly stuff to cut up and hack up stuff.
Let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly pruning techniques.
To trim a tree properly, stand back and look at the overall form of the plant.
Do this before you make a single cut.
The overall shape and character that you see before you start is what you should still see when the pruning is finished.
Remember that EVERY CUT HURTS THE TREE.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Thinning ( Gutting ) Trees
You’ve heard that thinning trees is good for them, but IT IS NOT.
Thinning may be good for the grass and other plantings under the tree, but it is NOT GOOD FOR THE TREE.
Heavy thinning is called gutting and is SEVERELY DAMAGING.
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Cutting Off Lower Limbs ( Lifting )
Cutting off lower limbs, lifting, is in the same category.
If limbs are in the way ― hanging too low over the driveway or hitting you between the eyes or scraping your head when you mow the lawn, cut them off ― just don’t be fooled that it is good for the tree.
It is NOT.
It only benefits you.
NO PRUNING PAINT either.
Nature doesn’t use it so why should we ?
Pruning Trees – No Flush Cuts, Gutting, or Lifting
Conclusion
As a final note, the tree trimmings resulting from pruning should not be hauled away.
The large pieces should be used for firewood, and the limbs and foliage should be shredded and used as mulch under trees or mixed into a compost pile.
This is also excellent mulch for walkways and in the landscape and vegetable garden.
NORAHG is National Organization Responding Against HUJE that seek to harm the Green Space Industry.
NORAHG is a NATIONAL NON PROFIT NON PARTISAN organization dedicated to reporting the work of RESPECTED and HIGHLY RATED EXPERTS who promote PESTICIDE REALISM and PESTICIDE TRUTHS.
Scientific research PROVES that pest control products cause NO HARM and can be USED SAFELY.
NORAHG produces A LOOK AT, a series of reports providing TECHNICAL INFORMATION on issues such as Career Management, Golf Course Maintenance, Green Alternatives, Summer Stress, Turfgrass Pests, and Turfgrass Species.
A LOOK AT is destined for the green space industry, nationwide across Canada, the United States, and overseas.
A LOOK AT is committed to SOUND SCIENCE, as well as ground breaking original reporting that informs, entertains, and creates real change.
NORAHG also produces FORCE OF NATURE, reports that present THE WHOLE TRUTH FROM AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE about environmental issues, including anti pesticide terrorism.
The information presented in A LOOK AT is for preliminary planning only.
Before making a final decision, the turf manager is expected to obtain trusted expert advice from extension specialists, local distributors and/or agronomists.
All decisions must take into account the prevailing growing conditions, the time of year, and the established management practices.
All products mentioned in A LOOK AT should be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions, and according to provincial, state, or federal law.
For the official advantages, benefits, features, precautions, and restrictions concerning any product, the turf manager must rely only on the information furnished by the manufacturer.
The mention of trade names does not constitute a guarantee or a warranty.
A LOOK AT, and their various incarnations, was the brainchild of William H. Gathercole (now retired) and his colleagues.
Mr. Gathercole is now retired, although his name continues to appear as founder of A LOOK AT and FORCE OF NATURE reports.
For the original copy of this Force Of Nature Report, go to the following link …
NORAHG has archived more information about A LOOK AT on The Pesticide Truths Web-Site …
A LOOK AT … CAREER MANAGEMENT ( Web-Page )
A LOOK AT … REFERENCES & SLIDE SHOWS – TURF, ORNAMENTALS, MAINTENANCE, & ENVIRONMENT ( Web-Page )
A LOOK AT … REPORTS – TURF, ORNAMENTALS, & MAINTENANCE ( Web-Page )
Here are previous reports, just in case you missed them …
Bird Pest Management
TURF BIRD PESTS — CANADA GEESE — OPERATION SCARECROW — NOVA SCOTIA ( Report )
Creeping Bentgrass
HOW MUCH NITROGEN DO GOLF GRASSES NEED ( Report )
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO FASTER GERMINATION ( Report )
PROPERTIES & MAINTENANCE STANDARDS ( Report )
VARIETIES — PENN SERIES ( Report )
Golf Course Maintenance
HOW MUCH NITROGEN DO GOLF GRASSES NEED ( Report )
REDUCING COSTS ( Report )
WISPY FINE-LEAVED FESCUE ROUGH ( Report )
TURF CULTIVATION ( I.E. AERATION ) ( Report )
Soil Science
HOW MUCH NITROGEN DO GOLF GRASSES NEED ( Report )
LATE-FALL NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ( Report )
TURF CULTIVATION ( I.E. AERATION ) ( Report )
Green Alternative Pesticides
CORN GLUTEN MEAL HERBICIDE ( Report )
GREEN ALTERNATIVE – CORN GLUTEN MEAL HERBICIDE … DISMAL FAILURE ! ( Web-Page )
FIESTA HERBICIDE ( Report )
GREEN ALTERNATIVE – FIESTA HERBICIDE ( FeHEDTA ) … DISMAL FAILURE ! ( Web-Page )
GREEN ALTERNATIVE – FIESTA HERBICIDE ( FeHEDTA ) – THE PESTICIDE TRUTHS REPORTS ( Web-Page )
NEMATODE INSECTICIDE — PART 1 ( Report )
NEMATODE INSECTICIDE — PART 2 ( Report )
GREEN ALTERNATIVE – NEMATODE INSECTICIDES … MARGINALLY EFFECTIVE … BETTER TO DO NOTHING ( Web-Page )
ORGANO-SOL HERBICIDE — CHARACTERISTICS & DESCRIPTION ( Report )
ORGANO-SOL HERBICIDE — ACTIVE INGREDIENTS ( Report )
ORGANO-SOL HERBICIDE — MODE OF ACTION — EFFICACY ( Report )
SCLEROTINIA MINOR HERBICIDE ( Report )
Kentucky Bluegrass
PROPERTIES & MAINTENANCE STANDARDS ( Report )
VARIETIES — SNOW MOLD RESISTANCE RATINGS — ORIGINAL ( Report )
VARIETIES — SNOW MOLD RESISTANCE RATINGS ( Report )
Ornamental Plants ― Diseases
CEDAR APPLE RUST ( Report )
Ornamental Plants ― Trees & Shrubs
TAXUS — WARNING — KILLER PLANTS ( Report )
Seed ― Turfgrass Seed
HOW MUCH NITROGEN DO GOLF GRASSES NEED ( Report )
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO FASTER GERMINATION IN CREEPING BENTGRASS ( Report )
HOW LONG GRASS WILL TAKE TO GERMINATE IN THE SPRING ( Report )
NORAHG has archived more information on The Pesticide Truths Web-Site …
THE PESTICIDE TRUTHS WEB-SITE
PESTICIDE BANS ARE A FARCE ( Report )
REAL TRENDS AGAINST PESTICIDE BANS ( Web-Page )
CARNAGE CAUSED BY CATASTROPHIC ANTI-PESTICIDE PROHIBITION – MAIN WEB-PAGE
CARNAGE CAUSED BY CATASTROPHIC ANTI-PESTICIDE PROHIBITION – RE-DIRECT LINKS ( Web-Page )
GOLF DESTRUCTION – GOLF IS NEXT ( Web-Page )
WHITE PAPER – THE MYTHS ABOUT BANNING PESTICIDES ( Part 2 ) – LEADING SCIENTIFIC HEALTH AND POLICY EXPERTS
COMPLAINT CHANNELS – COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ANTI-PESTICIDE LUNATICS ( Web-Page )
THE COMPLETE LIBRARY OF REPORTS & REFERENCES ( Web-Page )
PESTICIDE TRUTHS REPORTS ( Web-Page )
