Why pruning your trees properly is so important

WHAT IS PRUNING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Pruning is an important part of tree care that is performed for aesthetic and plant health reasons. For those that are unaware, pruning is the removal of living, dead and dying parts of the trees to benefit the tree's well-being. You should prune a tree to remove damaged or diseased branches which will stress the plant. 

HOW TO PRUNE YOUR BRANCHES WITHOUT DAMAGING YOUR TREE

Here are a few points that will hopefully elevate your knowledge about pruning your trees, and the best way to do it: 

• Pruning cuts must be as close as possible to the branch collar, (The branch collar is the base of a branch where it is attached to its parent branch or to the tree's trunk), however, you must avoid cutting directly into the branch bark ridge, and the bar collar itself.

• Flush cuts are to be avoided. Flush cuts are cuts made too close to the tree or main branch. It destroys the tree's major defence system and exposes the fresh wood to infection.
  
  
• Flush cuts are 'bad practice' because they disturb the tree's protective boundary that forms within the branch collar.
  
  
• Flush cuts lead to a reduction of energy reserves in the area around the cut. Large cankers often form about flush cuts (cankers are dead sections of bark on branches or main trunks of trees).
  
  
• Flush cuts also lead to excessive sprouting. Barrier zones are severed and layers of defenceless wood is exposed. Any dormant buds will be stimulated upon exposure and will start sprouting roots everywhere.
  
  
• This growth spurt will use up a substantial amount of energy reserves which are normally needed for tree defence.
  
  
• When correct pruning cuts are made a complete circle or 'doughnut' of callus is formed around the cut (tree covers the opening by forming specialised “callus” tissue around the edges of the wound).