1. OVER-PRUNING
Removing too much material from the tree in one pruning session can cause major issues, especially as not all trees can tolerate heavy pruning. It is important to do your research before trimming to see how much your type of tree can cope with.
2. MAKING IMPROPER CUTS
Lisa Tadewaldt, the owner at Urban Forest Pro, warns that making improper cuts is ‘the worst mistake you can make’. Correctly making any pruning cuts is vital, because failing to do so can damage the tree and it may struggle to heal those cuts quickly. This can put any tree at an increased risk of diseases.
3. PRUNING AT THE WRONG TIME
Getting the timing wrong can lead to a myriad of problems, including, but not restricted to, impacting on any flowering or fruiting, leaving trees more vulnerable to pests and diseases, and causing undue stress to the tree. That is why understanding when to prune trees is crucial.
4. SPREADING DISEASE
As well as avoiding pruning in the wet, due to potential issues with fungus, there are also certain trees that are more at risk to certain diseases at set times of year. For example, when planning when to prune fruit trees you should not trim stone fruit in winter - as they are more at risk of silver leaf disease. Another example is that oak trees are best pruned in winter, when the risk of oak wilt being spread by insects is lower.
5. NOT USING THE RIGHT TOOLS
Pruning trees involves a combination of tools, each of which will be useful for cutting certain sizes of branches. The common gardening tools you need are a pair of pruning shears, loppers, and a pruning saw. A chainsaw may also be required, though only to be used by trained and experienced operators.
6. TOPPING TREES
Topping a tree means to remove the central stem of a tree, along with the main branches in the upper canopy. It is done as a way to reduce the height of a tree, but is a process that damages its health as a result.
7. TEARING THE BARK
A common result of bad tree pruning is torn bark on the trunk. This is usually caused by trying to remove large branches in one go, which often results in the branch taking a section of bark with it as it falls. This not only leaves a big ugly scar on the trunk, but again makes the tree susceptible to pests and diseases.
8. NOT ADDRESSING 3 D'S
Pruning should always be done with a goal in mind, whether it is for aesthetics, to boost the production of fruit, or to increase flowering. No matter why you are pruning, before doing anything else you should look to remove all the D’s - namely any dead, diseased, and damaged branches.