Principles and Practices for Pruning Trees Around the Home and Landscape

Presentation given at the 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference in Wytheville, Virginia on February 11, 2023.

Transcript

1. Principles and Practices for Pruning Trees Around the Home & Landscape 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 P. Eric Wiseman, PhD Associate Professor of Urban and Community Forestry Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Virginia Tech vtuf@vt.edu linktr.ee/EricWiseman @vtarborist Source: www.thetreecenter.com/the-basics-of-tree-trimming
2. 02  26 Presentation Outline o Purpose of tree pruning o Tree biology background o Tree pruning tools o Tree pruning methods o Pruning trees safely Goal: Be able to recognize tree pruning needs and perform basic tree pruning safely and effectively 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023
3. 03  26 Purpose of Tree Pruning 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Trees Around Our Homes and Landscapes
4. 04  26 Purpose of Tree Pruning 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Pruning is selective removal of tree parts to achieve a management objective Appearance Health Safety Functionality Size Shape Density Flowering Tidiness Sanitation Eradication Light infiltration Air flow Crown:root balance Defects Storm damage Utility clearance Site lines Wildfire buffer Screening Wind break Vistas Fruit Solar access
5. 05  26 Tree Biology Background 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023
6. 06  26 Tree Biology Background 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Trunk Lateral Branch (Child) Terminal Branch (Parent)
7. 07  26 Tree Biology Background 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Trunk or Parent Branch Branch Bark Ridge Branch Collar Lateral Branch Branch Union Branch Callus Trees Don’t Heal – They Seal
8. 08  26 Tree Pruning Tools 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Clipping Tools Sawing Tools Pole Tools Size ¼” 2”
9. 09  26 Tree Pruning Tools 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Clipping Tools Sawing Tools Pole Tools Size 4” 8”
10. 10  26 Tree Pruning Tools 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Clipping Tools Sawing Tools Pole Tools
11. 11  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Crown Cleaning Crown Thinning Crown Raising Crown Reducing Best Practices • Avoid excessive removal of leaf area • Avoid large-diameter cuts (wounds) • Avoid removing large branches at trunk • Avoid growing-season for some pests • Pruning sealants typically not needed • Hire a qualified arborist for big jobs
12. 12  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Before Cleaning After Cleaning Source: Tree Care Industry Association . (2010). Tree Care Specialist Training Manual.
13. 13  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Before Thinning After Thinning Source: Tree Care Industry Association . (2010). Tree Care Specialist Training Manual.
14. 14  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023
15. 15  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Before Raising After Raising Source: Tree Care Industry Association . (2010). Tree Care Specialist Training Manual.
16. 16  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Source: saveberwyntrees.blogspot.com/2014/05/trees.html Source: hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning.shtml
17. 17  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Before Reducing After Reducing Source: Tree Care Industry Association . (2010). Tree Care Specialist Training Manual.
18. 18  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Source: www.spsonline.com/sps Source: washingtondnr.wordpress.com
19. 19  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 1 3 2 Three-Cut Method of Branch Removal Rip Cut
20. 20  26 Tree Pruning Methods 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Source: hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning.shtml Collar Cut Flush Cut Stub Cut Branch bark ridge and collar intact Branch bark ridge and collar damaged Excess branch remains
21. 21  26 Pruning Trees Safely 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Personal Protective Equipment
22. 22  26 Pruning Trees Safely 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023
23. 23  26 Pruning Trees Safely 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 Source: nlhydro.com/good-to-know/never-cut-trees-near-power-lines Source: www.powerwater.com.au/customers/safety-and-emergencies/updates/trees-and-powerlines
24. 24  26 Pruning Trees Safely 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023
25. o Have a clear objective for pruning to avoid wasted effort and tree stress o Choose suitable tools and keep them maintained for safe, efficient pruning o Use pruning methods that are suitable for the tree species, age, and vitality o Wear personal protective equipment and hire a qualified arborist if unsure of what to prune or how to prune it 25  26 Take Home Messages Source: unsplash.com/photos/UewgGfZgYj0 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023
26. Principles and Practices for Pruning Trees Around the Home & Landscape 2023 Southwest Landowner Woods & Wildlife Conference • Feb. 11, 2023 P. Eric Wiseman, PhD Associate Professor of Urban and Community Forestry Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation Virginia Tech vtuf@vt.edu linktr.ee/EricWiseman @vtarborist 26  26