Practical Gardening
WITH springs seemingly getting ever earlier it is a good idea to get any tree pruning work done as soon as possible now in January.
With the sap already rising in trees any cutting performed will lead to what is known as bleeding from the wound. This is effectively sap, a trees food and water source, seeping out. While this is seldom a fatal problem it can be stressful and cause the tree to weaken and become more vunerable to diseases and infections. In particularly if major surgery is required to a large tree. The more dormant the tree in general the less bleeding will occur.
Before you decide to prune any tree there are some considerations to bear in mind. Firstly, is it a job that needs a professional to carry it out, safety must be your first objective. With large trees you really should employ a qualified tree surgeon, particularly if the tree is near public spaces or other houses. Check that your tree surgeon is fully insured. A large tree will mean the use of a chainsaw which requires some training to use safely, even more so if the work requires climbing. Other considerations are why you are pruning.
All trees can be pruned but unless there is a reason they are best left alone. Reasons for pruning include the removal of dead or diseased wood. Branches that are crossing or rubbing. Controling the size and shape, this can be helped by the correct choice of tree when planting. If you have inherited a large tree it may need to be reduced in size to let in light and to open up the crown. Low branches sometimes need removing for access.
If you need to prune a tree winter is considered the best time for deciduous species. Without leaves this makes the task easier as there is less volumn to deal with and you can get a good clear look at the trees structure. There are exceptions however. Cherries and Laburnums are suseptable to a fungal disease called silverleaf that can cause branch dieback and death. They are best pruned not at all but if required do so between April and July when the spores of the silverleaf fungus are not airborne. Evergreen trees should be pruned