Pruning

Tree pruning is a combination of science and art. Each tree we are presented with is unique in its own way. Before pruning a tree, we must take into consideration its surrounding environment, what the owner’s goals are, and the biological characteristics of the species. Once we’ve seen the whole picture, we can implement a pruning plan specific to that individual situation. All pruning is done following ISA standards. Below are several different approaches to pruning that we may use to work on your trees.

• Structural Pruning
  • If left neglected trees can development undesirable growth patterns that can lead to an increased risk of failure as time goes on. We look for things such as crossing/rubbing branches, competing leaders, and weak unions. Our goal is to make pruning cuts that promote beneficial growth and reduce likelihood of failure.
• Thinning
  • Remove select branches to reduce the density of branches, improving sunlight penetration and airflow.
• Deadwood Removal
  • Deadwood can be removed for safety purposes, aesthetics, or both.
    • Larger deadwood in mature trees can be a threat to safety or property when trees are located in an urban environment. Dead branches will inevitably fall to the ground in time; therefore it is wise to remove them if they pose any sort of a threat to property or people.
    • Small ornamental trees (such as Japanese maples) are often loaded with deadwood. In this example the dead wood is not dangerous, but the removal of it can drastically improve the beauty and health of your tree.
• Canopy Raise
  • Improve clearance for structures, vehicles, pedestrians, as well as improving light penetration to understory plants in the landscape.
• End Weight Reduction
  • Limbs that are long and heavy can sometimes be shortened to reduce the weight load and potential of failure. This is a practice used on trees that have long limbs stretching out over valuable targets, or on trees that have outlier limbs within their canopies.
• Canopy Reduction
  • Sometimes a tree is too large for its location, so this practice is used to decrease the entire size of the canopy. Unlike topping that creates large wounds and unsightly growth, a true canopy reduction is achieved via drop-crotch pruning cuts. This method allows the tree to quickly recover from the cuts, results in less vigorous watersprout regrowth, and maintains a healthier structure for the tree.
• Canopy Restoration
  • Often storms come through the area and severely damage trees. Whole sections may be broken off, or there may be several damaged yet still attached branches crowding the canopy. Our goal is to find a way to bring these trees back to life. Sometimes we can do it in one visit, but if a tree is severely damaged if may require a few visits over the course of several growing seasons to reestablish a healthy structure. This practice is also applicable to trees that were topped in the past.
• Vista Pruning
  • Remove select branches to improve a specific line of sight.
• Fruit Tree Pruning
  • Each year we do a large volume of fruit tree pruning. Before working on your fruit trees, we will discuss the pros and cons of different pruning methods and times of the year to do it so that you can help us to achieve the desired result.