Tree pruning is an essential part of tree care and maintenance, which helps your tree stay strong and healthy. Seems like an easy enough job, a few branches off here, a few more there – right? Wrong!

Tree pruning requires skill, knowledge, experience and the right tools to be done correctly. Tree pruning done incorrectly can lead to increased risk of disease, pest infestation, structural weakness and even death. Plus, it just looks bad!

Here we take a look at the 6 most common tree pruning mistakes and how you can avoid them.

Tree Pruning Mistakes To Avoid

1. Using Incorrect Pruning Techniques

Pruning should always aim to achieve a goal, it should never just be a random chopping of limbs. You may want to remove the deadwood or increase flower or fruit production for example. Over time, incorrect pruning can cause irreversible damage and can weaken your tree’s structural integrity.

Incorrect cuts such as cutting too close to the trunk or leaving large stubs, can damage the tree’s bark and leave it more susceptible to pests, disease and decay.   

2. Over-Pruning

Whilst pruning is an essential part of tree care, it’s important to note that every time you prune your tree, you’re essentially leaving it with a wound it needs to heal from and you can absolutely over do it. Pruning a tree too aggressively or too many times can put the tree under a great deal of stress, potentially weakening the tree and leaving it more susceptible to pests and disease.

Removing branches removes critical resources stored within the tree which can affect the tree’s growth. Pruning cuts can create entry points for pests and disease so over pruning doesn’t give the tree a chance to heal from multiple wounds. Pruning should only be done when necessary and when there is a clear intention or goal in mind.

3. Pruning At The Wrong Time

Generally speaking, it’s best to prune a tree in their dormant season rather than when they are actively growing. This will however, depend upon the species of the tree and the reason for pruning.

Pruning during growth season means you can risk removing too many leaves and starving the tree of essential nutrients, potentially impacting growth and production. Aggressive pruning in summer can also stress the tree when the tree may already be under stress due to water scarcity.

4. Using The Wrong Tools

Pruning needs to be done with the appropriate and equally important – sharp, tools. Using dull pruning tools can cause a great deal of damage to your tree. Dull pruning tools won’t cut cleanly and will shred and rip the tree’s bark, leaving it jagged and frayed and potentially causing large wounds. Dirty, rusty tools can infect your tree, and if you have pruned a diseased tree prior, this can spread to other trees if tools aren’t cleaned correctly. Also try to match the size of what you’re cutting with the tools, don’t try hacking away at a large limb with a tiny pair of secateurs.

5. Cutting The Top Off The Tree

Tall, towering trees can be problematic, especially if they’re encroaching onto property or powerlines, but you should never be tempted to simply lop off the top of the tree. While this may appear to solve the problem, it can cause big problems down the track. Lopping the top of a tree causes it severe stress, makes it unbalanced, compromises the structural integrity of the tree and promotes competing, unhealthy growth.

6. Not Pruning

One very common pruning mistake is to not prune at all! Trees require some care and maintenance to keep them strong and healthy and pruning is one of the most important things you can do.

Pruning has both short and long-term benefits such as aesthetic appeal, improving the structural integrity of the tree, overall tree health and vigour and subsequently greater safety for you and your home. Pruning is a must. It just needs to be done with intention, done correctly and with the individual tree’s biology in mind.

Hire An Arborist – Avoid Tree Pruning Mistakes

Prevent tree pruning mistakes. Hiring an Arborist will give your tree the very best in care and help it stay strong, healthy and looking great. Plus, you won’t have to worry about your own personal safety or that of your home, nor will you need to have all of the tools and equipment required. Job done!

Call Brisbane’s Aussie Tree Solutions for a free quote on our professional tree pruning and maintenance services. We have been taking expert care of trees for over forty years, so we know a thing or two about tree pruning! Whether its consulting Arborist services, tree removals, stump grinding or just some good advice, we’ve got the solution.