Time to Prune Your Park Strip Trees
It’s time to prune
Spring is here and the buds are starting to appear on the trees in our neighborhood. That means it’s time to prune those park strip trees!
You may be thinking to yourself:
“Why do I need to waste time pruning?”
“Does it really matter?”
“No one else in my neighborhood seems to prune.”
“I see lots of unpruned trees that seem to be doing just fine!”
“I don’t know what I’m doing.”
What & How to Prune:
What to prune out:
-Prune out all the dead and diseased wood first
-Remove crossing branches that grow up through the canopy and those growing downward
-Only remove 20-25% of the total canopy (This does NOT include dead or disease wood)
How to prune:
When cutting a branch. You need to make the cut at a 45 degree angle so that when it rains, the water will drip off of the stub. The stub should be no longer than 2 inches away from the main branch or trunk.
Pruning Tools:
-Sharp, well-maintained tools make cleaner cuts and that reduces the risk of injuring the tree.
-Shear-type Pruners (also called bypass pruners) for small twigs
-Loppers for small branches
-Pruning saws for branches up to 3-4 inches in diameter. Good pruning saws have thin, curved blades and teeth that are angled back.
Learn what to look for and how to prune your park strip trees.
