Tree pruning and pruning period

Do you need to prune? It is better to use a certified company because it is a dangerous exercise. The pruner often works at height and uses a pruning saw, a pruner or a chainsaw previously cleaned and disinfected. The operation consists in controlling the development of the trees by precise and thoughtful pruning so as to restrict invasive development, stimulate fruiting, or meet aesthetic criteria.

Each season its pruning of the trees

Pruning can be carried out in any season, however the effects will be different depending on whether the operation is carried out in winter or in spring. Winter pruning is the most favorable because the trees are in vegetative rest and you will have less waste to evacuate. In the spring, it is more of a shaping pruning.

Pruning: neither too early nor too late

The most important thing is to prevent the bare wood from being exposed to extreme temperatures. For this reason, it is generally not recommended to prune in the middle of winter or summer, unless you live in a very temperate maritime region.

Softwoods, generally more resistant species than deciduous trees, are pruned more willingly in late autumn.

For deciduous trees, preference will be given to the beginning of spring, while the sap surge ensures the trees relative resistance to pests, while the foliar development is still insufficient to greatly increase the volume of plant waste to be evacuated.

The pruning of fruit trees is done rather in early autumn.

Recommendation

• Dressing wounds with tar or putty to avoid infection
• Never prune if the outside temperature is belo w-3°C or in too much heat

Prevention and risks

Just like for brush clearing, the law recommends wearing personal protective equipment (anti-cut clothing, helmet, hearing and visual protection, safety harness). The purpose of the operation is to reduce :

• The fall of trees or branches
• The absence of visibility
• The malfunction (electrical, telephone, air, road network)

Imperative

Do you have a wooded garden? You are therefore required to cut the branches of your trees that protrude from your neighbors (at the separation limit, on the road …) by applying the most appropriate regulations :

• Close to a road or electrical network
• Near private land (rural code)

It is advisable to contact a professional who knows the legislation and the steps to be taken to obtain authorizations and it is forbidden to use noisy tools outside the imposed hours which are :

• Monday to Friday: 8h30-12h00 and 14h30-19h30
• Saturday: 9:00-12:00 and 15:00-19:00
• Sunday: 10:00 am-12:00 pm

Pruning and dismantling an old tree in video :

The periods of pruning of trees and shrubs

MOST FAVORABLE MONTHS

HEIGHT PERIODS

Winter or spring flowering: camellia, forsythia, jasmine, lilac, etc.

Carry out a pruning just after flowering

Summer flowering: abelia, choisya, hibiscus, hydrangea, lavender, etc.

Prune in the vegetative period at the end of winter

Alder, birch, hornbeam, chestnut, oak, maple, ash, beech, chestnut, cherry, olive, elm, poplar, willow, linden, etc.

October to December

Formation pruning in the vegetative period

Maintenance pruning during the period of sap rise

Pome trees: apple tree, pear tree, lemon tree, orange tree, etc.

November to April

Prune before the sap rises (this period varies depending on the region)

Stone trees: cherry, apricot, plum, peach, etc.

August to September

Prune right after harvest

Cedar, cypress, douglas fir, spruce, yew, larch, pine, fir, thuja, etc.

October to December

A coniferous tree can be pruned throughout the year but it is necessary to avoid the period when the sap rises

The felling of trees

Before proceeding to the felling of a tree, always make sure that you have mastered the handling of your chainsaw by practicing beforehand on trunks already on the ground and determine the direction of the felling. To do this, take into account in particular the direction in which the wind blows, because it will facilitate your gesture by pushing the tree.

Also check that it will fall into an uninhabited area and that the people present with you are located at a distance equivalent to at least twice its total length.

First, saw off the lowest branches, which could hinder you, then, place the chainsaw at the height of your chest (never higher) and on the side (especially not facing you). Then saw off the tree without haste, blade flat, using the trunk as protection between the chainsaw and you.

The desiccation of a tree?

Desiccation is an operation to extract the roots and stump of a felled tree. It makes it possible to eliminate the blockage of the pipes, the deterioration of the foundations and the possible foci of infection due to a fungus such as Armillaria mellea.

The operation requires a very large force and is done by pushing or pulling in a manual or mechanized way :

• For a manual operation, there are, in specialized shops, desiccant products, the objective of which is to facilitate removal. It will then be sufficient to pull the stump with a strong puller after cutting its roots and digging uprooting trenches.
• For a mechanical operation, the machine used will determine the technique. For a push, a backhoe loader is ideal. On the other hand, to pull, the use of a machine such as a tractor that can pull a chain hooked to the stump is essential.

In short

The operation therefore consists in reducing the size of a tree by ridding it of bulky branches located laterally. To prune, always start by selecting your tool according to the length and size of the branches.

A telescopic pruner will suffice for the finest, while a pruning saw or even a chainsaw will eliminate large branches. Disinfect the blades that you will use so as not to spread possible fungi or diseases, then make cuts at an angle, near the nodes, in order to facilitate the regeneration of the tree.

Remove as many branches as possible in its center in order to let the light penetrate there, taking care not to scratch the bark when you prune the branches near the trunk. Once the pruning is complete, get rid of the residues and brush the largest cut ends with a healing product in order to avoid diseases.