Thinning Your Trees Improperly: Part 4: Structure – February 2019

It’s just about March which means Spring is almost here. In the Tri-Cities, Springtime is the “windy season”. If you have tall trees on or around your property, you will want to be mindful of how to properly thin your trees to keep them safe in blustery conditions. Let’s continue with our series on “all things pruning”.

Improper Pruning Techniques
Sadly, the trunk or larger branches are sometimes pruned with heading cuts in order to bring a large tree to a specified size. This is called topping and is not recommended because it damages trees permanently. Heading large branches causes problems including large amounts of decay in many species, weak sprouts, and dead branch stubs. Topping can potentially kill trees. When a tree needs regular pruning to keep it small, perhaps the wrong tree was planted in that location. You might consider replanting with an appropriately sized plant, or else move the obstacle you were pruning the tree away from and structurally prune to develop strong structure. Heading cuts can be used occasionally when restoring trees following storms, and in other selected instances. Stripping out the small branches and foliage from the interior of the crown also damages trees.

We’re Here To Help!
Top Tree LLC is your best choice for any tree removal needs in West Richland. All of our technicians are highly trained and properly certified. We are happy to answer any questions you have now or in the future.

Scroll to Top

Free Estimate

24/7 Emergency Service Available: 509.512-2521