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Crown reduction pruning of trees in yard(USA)

These days almost everybody got a tree in their yard or garden to enhance the aesthetics of their property or to harvest fruits from it, But to keep it healthy and in good shape proper care of the tree is necessary.

We often notice damaged or dead branches and overgrowth of trees that can damage the property or reduce the quality of the landscape, therefore it becomes important to prune the tree properly.

Crown reduction pruning is one of the safest methods of pruning trees. Here we going to understand important aspects of performing crown reduction pruning. 

Crown reduction pruning

It is also known as drop crotch pruning. In this pruning method we reduce the height or width of overgrown trees by making cuts on lateral branches and the remaining lateral branch should be at least 1/3 the diameter of the pruned branch.

Crown reduction pruning

These small branches will turn into the main branch later and keep inducing healthy growth. But be vigilant about the thickness of the lateral branch. A less thick lateral branch can die easily although the thickness of limbs can vary in different species.

There are many benefits of reducing the crown of a tree. Some of these are mentioned below-

  • Improves overall health of the tree
  • Control disease or pest spread
  • Increase fruit production and flowers in the tree Improve the overall aesthetics of a tree
  • Reduce the damage to property from branches

When to do crown reduction pruning?

There are several signs on your tree that confirm that your tree needs crown reduction pruning.

  • Overgrown branches 

Overgrown branches can make damage to your property or invade your neighborhood. These branches sometimes touch the utility lines or can block sight in streets. Therefore it becomes necessary to get rid of these branches as soon as possible.

  • Dead limbs

Dead branch appearance on a tree is usually part of its life cycle but sometimes it can harm the health of the rest of the tree can it provides ideal space for pests and diseases. It can also fall on humans or pets during wind load that’s why it becomes important to remove these dead branches.

  • Less foliage and flowers 

If you haven’t done pruning for many years then it can reduce flowers and foliage on the tree. Although it also gets reduced when a tree becomes older.

Season of doing crown reduction pruning 

Usually, the best season for reducing the crown of a tree is late fall or winter because most trees become dormant during winter. It minimizes the risk of spread of fungus disease from the pruning cut. Some insects get attracted to pruning cuts and could carry a possible infection from somewhere else. During winter these insects are less active.

Secondly, the branches of the tree are clearly visible during this time of year which makes it easier to identify the desired pruning branches.

Some of the trees that flower during spring can be pruned during summer according to different species.

How often should one do it?

Ideally is better to do crown reduction pruning once or twice a year. It also varies on specific requirements. The older the tree gets lesser pruning is required. You could remove dead branches at any time of the year.

How crown reduction is different than tree topping and tipping?

Topping and tipping are some of the unscientific methods of pruning a tree that was used in earlier days. These methods can negatively impact the health of a tree or even results in the death of a tree. Topping and tipping can cause injuries to the branches like Barkripping, flush cutting, etc. In most cases, these methods should be avoided. The only case when these methods can be helpful is if the tree is severely damaged by the storm.

Topping is reducing the height of a tree without proper technique and tipping is the removal of lateral branches between the nodes Whereas crown reduction is removing the lateral branch while keeping in mind the growth of the overall tree. It is a proven scientific method that definitely improves the health and stability of trees.

Difficulty level of DIY crown reduction pruning  

If you don’t have prior experience of pruning a tree and you are not an arborist then it is better to avoid crown reduction pruning DIY. The reason behind that it requires proper knowledge of pruning techniques, pruning skills, and many pruning tools.

So it is better to hire an Arborist for this work because you don’t want to damage the tree or injure yourself.

Cost of reducing a crown of a tree

Before starting work of pruning it is important to have good communication with the professional so you can tell the specific requirements you have and avoid any mistakes.

The cost of crown-reducing pruning depends on many factors like size, foliage, height, accessibility of the tree, etc. The bigger the tree is the more it is going to cost you. Here is the average cost of reducing the crown of a tree.

  • Small to medium size tree- 300$-700$
  • Large tree- 800$-1200$

Common mistakes while practicing this Pruning 

Following are some of the common mistakes which should be avoided while doing crown reduction pruning-

  • Do not do severe pruning in older trees instead remove dead limbs and some branches that are causing damage to the structure.
  • Do not use methods like topping or tipping as it may negatively impact the health of the tree.
  • Do the pruning in such a way that the remaining branches are evenly distributed so the tree can tolerate wind load or storm.
  • Keep the natural form of the tree while pruning. Do not remove more than 25% of the foliage at a single time.
  • Be careful and take the help of a professional while pruning trees near the power lines.
  • Do not use crown reduction pruning in pyramidal shape trees.

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