Plagued by pre-Super Bowl anxiety? Try pruning a tree or two

Published 12:11 pm Thursday, January 29, 2015

By Dennis Tompkins/special for the Journal

While we anxiously await the Super Bowl, the winter months provide an excellent time to think about doing some pruning.

Winter is a good time to work on ornamental trees because it is easier to determine what needs to be pruned before new leaves begin to grow.

For example, this is the time of the year when I begin in earnest to prune and thin Japanese maples for clients. February through April is the traditional time for pruning fruit trees before they bloom.

Three Rules

There are three major items to consider when planning your winter and spring tree work.

First, fruit trees will benefit from pruning to enhance fruit production; second, pruning ornamental trees is completely different from pruning fruit trees; and third, if hiring someone to do the work, choose a reputable tree service or a professional arborist.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of well-meaning folks who do not possess the knowledge of proper pruning techniques. This is already noticeable when driving by aggressively topped trees, or tree butchery, in landscapes and along streets.

Fruit Trees

If they have been pruned on a regular basis, fruit trees have developed numerous water sprouts. As a general rule, one-third or more can be thinned out. Most of the remaining sprouts should be shortened to 4 to 10 inches.

Careful pruning will help a tree put more energy into developing fruit while controlling its size and making the fruit more reachable. Trees that have been neglected for several years present special challenges and often require severe pruning.

Treat Ornamental Trees Gently

Severe topping or aggressive pruning of any ornamental tree should be avoided to maintain its natural shape. Not only is topping ugly, but the resulting water sprouts are a survival response as a tree attempts to replenish the lost food manufacturing branches and leaves.

These fast-growing sprouts can grow up to 5 feet or more a year. This may require annual work by maintenance crews that could have been avoided by proper thinning and pruning.

Responsible tree services and certified arborists will discourage tree topping. The key to successful ornamental pruning is to have the final result look as if very little has been done to a tree.

Overgrown Trees

If a tree is too wide or tall for its space, there are at least two options:

• Carefully select some of the longer, unsightly branches. Either remove them by cutting back to where they join a larger branch or the main trunk or lightly trim them to a shorter length.

• Remove the tree and plant one that will grow to fill, not overcrowd, a chosen space. This is preferable to doing a severe pruning job. Be aware that the height estimates on nursery labels are often conservative.

Do the Right Thing

I often ask a homeowner what he or she wants a tree to look like. Sometimes I have to explain why their request may not be practical or healthy for a tree and we will discuss some options.

Sometimes a homeowner will tell me to “do what I think needs to be done.” This can be a dangerous instruction to give because some tree pruners do not know the correct way to treat ornamental trees.

Doing the right thing will result in happy trees, a happy homeowner and enhance the reputations of responsible tree services and arborists. A poor job is very noticeable and neighbors and passersby will wonder what the heck a homeowner or business is trying to do to its trees.

— Editor’s note: Dennis Tompkins is an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist.