Re: Pruning Trees

[D Kat]

Agreed .... Another change that recently has come out is where exactly to prune. They used to tell you to prune as close to the trunk as you can and this is a big NO now. If you look at the branch, you can almost detect what you might think of as the turtleneck of where the branch meets the trunk (a slight thickening like a collar). You want to cut near this but such that you are not damaging the cells of this "collar" so outside of where the collar is but not so far away that you have wood that is going to die and rot and form a barrier for the collar to grow over. On a large branch this collar can be an inch or more thick so you are leaving a nub of sorts off of the main branch. If you have done it right, it is amazing how quickly it heals over.

DKat

> > Ian wrote: > > > I have a few trees (maple, ash) that need some branches pruned as they are > > either dead or hanging too low. > > > > Need I apply something to the trunk of the tree to cover the cuts after I > > have removed the branches, such as shellac? > > > > Thx > > If you prune limbs carefully to the branch collar, there is no need to coat > the cut with anything - the tree will scar over and seal the wound on its own. > Painting pruning cuts is no longer considered a sound gardening practice - it > can actually increase problems for the tree and delay natural healing. > > pam - gardengal >

[John Bachman]

What tree company said to use shellac? That is incredible. The recommendations to leave pruned areas bare is at least 15 years old!

No competent arborist or even accomplished amateur would tell you to use shellac on a fresh cut.

JMHO

John

[Ian]

I don't want to say, it is a huge North American company, I'm sure you have heard of it. Of course, it was just one of their Arborists, not indicative of the company's approach, I guess!

[Allview]

Thanks for giving me a question for the guys who are going to cut my trees. I chose a company with a certified arborist, hoping they would know what they are doing. What I need is to have branches cut that are overhanging the roof. They are making a mess in the gutters. Maples. I get the estimate on Friday.

Marilyn in Ohio

[Travis]

Why not say?

[Babberney]

Even if you shear the branches off so no branches overhang the roof (a bad idea in many cases, depending on how much tree that represents) you probably will not have any luck keeping the gutters completely clean (wind will be a factor). Why not save the (likely several hundred) dollars and pay someone to clean the gutters periodically? You can also get screens of various types to cover the gutters. They can do a pretty good job of keeping the debris out, though you will probably need to maintain them occasionally.

Remember that a healthy, attractive tree can add significantly to your quality of life and your property value (and decrease cooling costs in summer), while an ugly or maltreated tree can create more problems and detract from property values.

just a suggestion,

Keith For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit

consumer info about tree care, visit