Tree Trimming

[Lynne]

I would think that the fall and winter would be the best time to trim lower branches off the trees around here. But how much can you safely trim without causing too much shock to the tree? Most are 15 -18 years old and it would be nice to be able to walk by a tree or mow under it, without ducking. Is there a set rule of thumb for how high you can trim? For instance if the tree is a 30’ tall pin oak can you clear the bottom 10’?

[Danaus29]

What kind of trees? Type of tree dictates best time to prune and size of the branches to be pruned.

[Old Vet]

If they are pin oak prune them anytime the saw is sharp. Prune them 1/3 the hight. If you have a 20 foot tree trim it to 10 feet. I learned this from a forester a long time ago and have been doing this for many years.

[Lynne]

Kind of trees?
White pines (have a transplanted loblolly that should be cut down); cedar (type? don't know but it is soft and has blue berries), E. hemlock, maples (type? not sugar or red), oaks - white, saw tooth and pin, copper beech and a couple of mulberries. The holly trees are fine since they are conical to the ground.

[Lynne]

What do you recommend putting on the fresh cuts to seal the tree?

Old Vet – so that 30’ pin oak can be trimmed up 10’? They already are trimmed that far and the branches still hang down enough that you have to do acrobatics to mow under them – look like a trick pony rider

[Bearfootfarm]

The cuts dont need to be sealed. Seems to me you just need to cut back the over hanging limbs. You dont necessarily have to cut them off at the trunk

This would be a good job for one of those electric pruning poles

http://www.tylertool.com/remington18.html

[ksfarmer]

A good rule of thumb is to not trim more than 30% of the branches from a tree. Pruning can be done anytime you have a sharp saw handy.

[bill not in oh]

Originally Posted by Lynne

still hang down enough that you have to do acrobatics to mow under them – look like a trick pony rider

Rodeo mowing!! I do it all the time around the spruce/pines/cedar LOL


If you trim during the winter, the trees are dormant and will 'bleed' less - especially the 'sappy' trees (pine, spruce, cedar and most fruit trees). Insects are also dormant so they don't invade the wound.

[Lynne]

Thanks for the link
and the info everyone

[Old Vet]

Trees that have a fruit you wait until the fall then prune them before flowering. Those that do not have fruit you can prune them anytime. The only way I would seal a tree is when it has a scar on the trunk and I son't want it to become larger. Where the gets a limp is protection anainst any desease or incests. So what you do is to cut just above the Bowl (where the tree limbs meat the trunk) and that is all.

[MELOC]

it seems like there are many schools of thought an most issues. painting limb cuts was abandoned a while back as some feel it actually inhibits healing. the pruning in winter time debate that i have heard favors what bill said on one hand, but is countered with the fear of the dormant wood being invaded with fungus during the mild winter months on the other hand. whenever the saw is sharp sounds good to me, lol.

[ksfarmer]

So what you do is to cut just above the Bowl (where the tree limbs meat the trunk) and that is all.""
__________________

Old vet is correct. Don't cut into the trunk and don't leave a stub. A good cut will heal over nicely.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

A good rule of thumb is to not trim more than 30% of the branches from a tree. Pruning can be done anytime you have a sharp saw handy.

Not true. For instance you should never trim an Oak in May or June. You don't want an open wound on a tree when insects that carry diseases endemic to the species of tree are active.

I use a thick latex paint to dress oak trees.

[Old Vet]

The bowls of the tree are a natural protection against anything that can be protected from. There are many thoughts about pruning trees some of them are sound but not all. I used to be a Nersery Technian at the North Little Rock Arkansas Forestry Nusery. We usualy trim trees during May or June never had a problem with them but since tinknal has had a problem I guess she nows more than the foresters in the Arkansas Forestry Comission.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Old Vet

The bowls of the tree are a natural protection against anything that can be protected from. There are many thoughts about pruning trees some of them are sound but not all. I used to be a Nersery Technian at the North Little Rock Arkansas Forestry Nusery. We usualy trim trees during May or June never had a problem with them but since tinknal has had a problem I guess she nows more than the foresters in the Arkansas Forestry Comission.

And I guess you know more than the University of Minnesota.

"The only way that the fungus can cross highways, rivers, and open fields is by insect vectors, primarily by sap beetles of the Family Nitidulidae. This spread occurs infrequently, but is important as the means by which new oak wilt infection centers are started. Sap beetles are commonly attracted to the sporulating mats produced by the fungus between the bark and wood of oak wilt-killed trees. These mats are commonly produced between April and late June on red oaks that wilted during the previous summer (Figure 4). This is also the same period of time that red oaks produce large springwood vessels and are particularly susceptible to infection. Several species of the same sap beetles are also attracted to fresh wounds on healthy oaks during spring (mid-April to late June). Visitation of such wounds by Ceratocystis fagacearumÑcontaminated beetles then results in oak wilt infection. Oak bark beetles, important oak wilt vectors in some parts of the U.S., are not considered important vectors in Minnesota."

"Overland spread by insects can be prevented by following these guidelines on when to prune and when to paint.

*
High Risk Period. April, May and June: don't wound or prune! If trees are accidentally wounded or pruning is unavoidable, cover the wounds immediately-within minutes-with one of the preferred materials such as water-based paint or shellac."

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distrib...es/DD3174.html


Old Vet,would you like me to do more research for you to help bring your state up to date?

[Old Vet]

Well there are more than distance between Arknasas and Minisota. There are climate changes their also. In Arkansas and most of the south and midwest the thinking of Froistors is that you can prune oak trees anytime. That is taught by the Forestry colige in Monielilo Ar. But If their are climate changes then You need to be aware of them also. Maby Linne should post where the trees are so that people in that area can answer her question.

[bill not in oh]

I think that trees are not much different than any other living organism. When injured, they heal. When injured in a situation that carries a higher risk for infection of an invasive pathogen, special treatment is prudent. If I cut myself while working in the forest during February, treatment is less critical than if I sustain a similar wound working in my chicken coop in August. - there simply is more risk in the latter scenario for infection and the need for intervention and preventative care. It's the same reason that left to their natural environment goats will breed in the fall to kid in the late winter, as will swine and cattle and most other mammals:, and chickens, ducks and geese will brood their young in the early spring as will most wild species of birds- Lower risk of pathogenic invasion. It's not rocket science folks, just common sense...

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by Old Vet

Well there are more than distance between Arknasas and Minisota. There are climate changes their also. In Arkansas and most of the south and midwest the thinking of Froistors is that you can prune oak trees anytime. That is taught by the Forestry colige in Monielilo Ar. But If their are climate changes then You need to be aware of them also. Maby Linne should post where the trees are so that people in that area can answer her question.

It is quite clear to me that the trees Lynne is reffering to are in Maryland. I'm surprised that as a forester you are not aware of the oak wilt problems in Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, etc. You made a blanket statement that was patently false and I simply pointed it out. Get over it.

[MELOC]

i was thinking that if you cut yourself and were not able to bleed, you would be more prone to infection as you would not be able to clean the wound by bleeding and you would not be able to supply the materials needed to heal the wound.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by MELOC

i was thinking that if you cut yourself and were not able to bleed, you would be more prone to infection as you would not be able to clean the wound by bleeding and you would not be able to supply the materials needed to heal the wound.

Ah, but if you left a wound open and undressed it would be available to bacteria, viruses, and the insects that carry them.