How to Prune a Tree - Don't Forget the Trunk

There’s a lot of advice about trimming trees and not “topping” them. That’s good. But what about the bottom portion of the tree and how it affects the appearance of your yardscape? Here’s how to prune a tree - from the bottom up.

#treetrimming #pruning #treepruning

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Trees can really “make or break” a yardscape. But if not properly pruned, they can actually detract from the appearance of your landscape, or diminish your home’s curb appeal.

The emphasis of this episode is the bottom of the tree. This is called the “bottom horizon” of the tree. If the tree isn’t pruned far enough up on the trunk, it will appear more like an overgrown shrub - unruly and unsightly.

Even a small tree, when it is pruned with clearance under it, will elevate the appearance of the tree, by providing a sightline under the branches. This also opens up other opportunities for uses, including mulching or ground covers.

A common misperception about a tree’s side branches is that they will move up as the tree grows. That is, something that is coming off the trunk approximately two feet above the ground will later be much higher. That is incorrect. The majority of a tree’s growth is at the top. This is because the terminal buds on the upward-reaching branches are where new height comes from, not the trunk portion.

Pruning the bottom portion of the tree also allows access for cultivation, mowing, or plantings. Said another way, it’s easier on you when you aren’t running into branches when you are working around the tree!

Removing the bottom branches also stimulates growth at the top. After all, the tree only has a limited amount of growth resources, so why not direct it to the top to create a fuller urban tree canopy?

JUST DO IT YOURSELF.

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