• Removing dead, dying, broken, cracked, weak and undesirable branches
• Thinning the crown to reduce the weight of heavy branches
• Thinning the crown to allow better wind penetration and air movement
• Inspecting and evaluating the tree for weaknesses or defects

• CROWN CLEANING
  Crown Cleaning is performed to improve the health of the tree and to eliminate or reduce any hazardous conditions. Crown Cleaning involves the systematic removal of dead, dying, diseased, broken, cracked, conflicting, weak and poorly attached branches.
  
  
• CROWN THINNING
  Crown Thinning includes Crown Cleaning and much more. Crown Thinning is performed on high value or important trees. Trees that are properly thinned have better wind, light and air movement through the tree. Thinning helps reduce the weight of heavy limbs by selective removal of undesirable lateral branches. A lateral branch or twig is one that grows from a parent branch or stem. The natural shape of the tree is preserved by the selective removal of branches. The overall size and shape of the tree should change very little when proper thinning is performed. Thinning is always preferred over types of pruning that attempt to control the growth or size of the tree. Selective thinning is limited to removal of no more than 25% of the live foliage of the tree.
  
  
• CROWN RAISING
  Crown Raising removes selective low limbs to provide better clearance for pedestrians, vehicles, structures and other trees or plants. Usually performed in conjunction with Crown Cleaning or Thinning, Crown Raising also allows for the improvement of vistas or viewing areas. It is important not to remove too many of the low branches too early in a developing tree. At least 1/2 (one half) of the tree's foliage should be on branches that originate in the lower 2/3 (two thirds) of the tree. This will help to ensure well-formed and properly tapered trunks which have a more even distribution of weight stress.

  When pruning for view or vista clearing, it is preferred to develop spaces between branches, or 'windows' through the crown, rather than to severely raise or reduce the crown.
  
  

• CROWN REDUCTION
  Crown Reduction is undesirable for shade and ornamental trees, although it may be appropriate for fruit trees. When a tree has grown too large for its location, removal should be recommended. One of the most important rules of a healthy, attractive landscape is "the right tree in the right place." A tree that has outgrown its allotted space, either physically or psychologically, should be removed and a more appropriate plant put in its place.

  When removal is not acceptable, Crown Reduction can be accomplished by proper thinning cuts that reduce the height and spread gently, cause fewer unsightly watersprouts, delay the need for re-pruning and help to preserve the tree's natural shape.

  A tree properly pruned for Crown Reduction requires re-pruning frequently because the cuts made are relatively small thinning cuts. This is the preferred method of Crown Reduction because it is less harmful to the tree and helps maintain the tree's natural shape.

  Crown Reduction is to be specified for removal of storm damage. When the tops of trees are broken or damaged, heading cuts may need to be made. Heading cuts are the least desirable of the Crown Reduction alternatives. Improper heading cuts are often called 'topping', a practice that is very damaging to the tree. Because the resulting growth after a heading cut is weakly attached, and, since the wood after a heading cut is very subject to decay, heading cuts usually result in unsafe or hazardous conditions in the future.

  Heading cuts should be avoided in mature trees.
  
  

• CROWN RESTORATION
  Crown Restoration should be specified to help improve the structure and appearance of trees that have been abused by storm damage, topping cuts or heading cuts. Where numerous watersprouts resulted from the improper pruning, they should be thinned out to leave one to three remaining sprouts that will help to recover a more natural appearing crown. The number and size of the sprouts that are left depends on the size of the branch and the number of branches that had sprouted. The one to three sprouts that remain may require thinning to help reduce weight and to help improve wind passage through the crown. Crown Restoration usually requires several prunings over a number of years.
  
  
• UTILITY PRUNING
  Utility Pruning or line clearance work involves pruning trees away from electrical conductors. It is performed by qualified personnel who are under contract to the system operator or owner (the electric company).

  Tomlinson Bomberger Lawn Care & Landscape, Inc. does not engage in Utility Pruning.

TRAINING YOUNG TREES
Trees that are properly pruned when they are young will develop into structurally strong trees. These trees will fulfill their intended function sooner and should require little corrective pruning as they mature. Trees that reach large mature size should have a sturdy, tapered trunk with well-spaced branches that are smaller in diameter than the trunk.

These guidelines apply primarily to decurrent or round-headed trees like Maples, Beech, White Oaks, Dogwoods, Flowering Cherries and Flowering Pears. Trees that will become decurrent seldom have lateral shoots on the current season's growth.

Trees of excurrent or central leader growth habit like Sweetgum, Tuliptree, Pin Oak, Hemlock, Pine and Spruce usually need little training except to remove laterals that are too low or to control laterals that want to compete with the central leader.

• TRUNK DEVELOPMENT
  For most trees, maintain a single, straight trunk or central leader. Do not prune the leader unless it is broken. At least half of the foliage should be on the branches arising from the lower 2/3 (two-thirds) of the tree. Branches should also have an even distribution of foliage along their lengths. This will increase trunk taper and more uniformly distribute the weight of the branches along the trunk and the weight of the foliage along the branches.
  
  
• PERMANENT BRANCH SELECTION
  The height of the lowest permanent branch depends on the function of the tree and the local ordinance. Unless they are broken, weakly attached or too close together, remove few or no branches on newly planted trees. This will ensure a better selection for permanent main branches in subsequent years, promote better trunk taper and also improve early root development.

  Potential permanent branches can be spaced 6 to 12 inches apart by thinning. By the fifth year, these branches should be thinned to at least 18 inches apart if the mature tree will have a trunk larger than 18 inches diameter. Spacing can be less when the mature trunk diameter is expected to be less than 18 inches.

  Select permanent branches to maintain an even radial distribution. Where branches are growing one directly above another, maintain a separation of 15 to 36 inches for smaller growing trees and 60 inches for trees that will be large at maturity.
  
  

• TEMPORARY BRANCHES
  Retain small branches along the trunk for 1 to 5 years to help increase lower trunk size, improve the trunk taper, provide screening from the sun and protection from vandals. It is more important to have temporary branches below the lowest permanent branch than above it.

  Vertical spacing of temporary branches should allow at least 6 inches separation from permanent branches. Laterals and shoots of low vigor should be considered temporary. If the temporary branch is larger than desirable, it may be pruned back and thinned so that only 2 or 3 buds remain. The attachment angle of temporary branches is not important since they will be removed.

  During the dormant season after the tree has completed a full growing season (this may be more than one year from the time of planting), prune to thin the temporary branches. Leave about 3/4 (three-fourths) of the temporary branches, leaving them uniformly spaced and removing or at least thinning the largest temporary branches.

  The next dormant season, continue the thinning of temporary branches in the same way, leaving about 3/4 (three-fourths) of the temporary branches. In this way, after the fifth season, all of the temporary branches at the time of planting will have been removed.
  
  

• DEVELOPING STRONG BRANCH STRUCTURE
  The relative size of the branch in relation to the trunk is more important for strength of branch attachment than is the angle of attachment. Branches should be 1/2 (one-half) or less of the diameter of the trunk immediately above the branch.

  No permanent branch attachments should have included bark that usually results from narrow-angle branch to trunk unions.

  Retain lateral branches along limbs, but each should be less than 1/2 (one-half) the diameter of the limb at its attachment. Permanent lateral branches along limbs should be at least 2 feet out from the trunk.

  As trees grow to maturity, pruning should focus on maintaining or improving the structure and the natural form by directing the tree's growth along the strongest branches.

  A goal of structural pruning is to maintain the size of permanent lateral branches to less than 1/2 (one-half) the diameter of the parent branch or trunk. If a large, permanent branch is too large in relation to the leader or another branch, thin the competing branch's laterals, particularly near the terminal end. Thin the leader or other branch less, if at all. Thinning laterals from a branch will reduce the weight of the branch, slow its total growth and develop a stronger branch attachment. If pruning the competing branch is not appropriate, it should be removed.