Month: August 2020

Prevent disease, infestation, and poor health from debilitating and killing your trees. By knowing some simple pruning information and techniques, you can help your trees stay healthy and thriving for years to come.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com gathered information on reasons to prune, the best time for pruning trees, the value of pruning, how to prune branches, and when you should seek a professional tree service.

Why Are You Pruning Your Trees?

Before picking up any equipment or making any pruning cuts, you should be crystal clear about the reason for your pruning. The following are some of the reasons trees should be pruned:

• Encourage growth in a specific direction
• Eliminate potentially dangerous branches
• Remove interfering branches
• Shape your tree
• Encourage or reduce flowering or fruiting
• Remove suckers or water sprouts
• Crown cleaning (removes dead, diseased, or infested wood)
• Crown thinning (allows more light to reach inner branches)
• Crown raising (removes lower beaches)
• Crown reduction (for mature trees, leaves old growth while encouraging new growth)

Once you have accomplished your pruning goal, stop. Every cut you make is an open wound and potential for infection and infestation.

Note: Never make physical contact with a tree that touches live power lines. The tree may be energized and cause your electrocution. In these cases, contact your power company to either prune the tree or cut the power while pruning or have the tree pruned.

Tip: Avoid pruning activities in late summer and early fall, this is the time diseases are most active and infectious.

Pruning Deciduous Trees

Deciduous tree species are those that shed their foliage in the fall, preparing for winter dormancy. During this period of dormancy, the tree conserves energy and slows all of its functions to a slow crawl.

Once the tree is dormant, and until bud break in early spring, it can be safely pruned for structure, shaping, safety, and encouraging vigorous, healthy new growth. Deciduous tree species include:

• Maple
• Oak
• Elm
• Beech
• Aspen
• Birch
• Poplar
• Willow

Pruning a deciduous tree during its dormancy period lowers the multiple risks of disease and pest infestations in open pruning wounds.

Pruning Evergreen Trees

Evergreen species are those that retain their foliage throughout the year. In the case of evergreens, they will shed old foliage as new foliage grows in regardless of the season. Evergreen tree species include:

• Pine
• Fir
• Spruce
• Hemlock
• Redcedar
• Arborvitae
• Cypress
• Eucalyptus
• Yew

Except for pine tree species, evergreens should be pruned:

• Before the emergence of new growth in early spring
• During the period of semi dormancy in mid-summer

Use caution when pruning evergreens, some species like cypress have dead spaces behind their foliage. This is the area between the trunk and the foliage, consisting of only branches and twigs. Aggressive pruning for these species is discouraged, as it will likely leave large holes behind that will not fill in.

Note: Pine trees should be pruned in spring (damaged, dead, diseased, or infested branches can be pruned at any time). However, try to avoid pruning activities on pine trees in late summer and fall.

Pruning Flowering Trees

Flowering trees can be separated into two categories; One would be those that flower in the spring. The other would be those that flower in mid to late summer. Consider the following:

Trees and shrubs flowering in spring are doing so on last year’s growth. These trees and shrubs should be pruned when their flowers fade. These species include:

• Azaleas (Rhododendron)
• Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)
• Hawthorn (Crataegus)
• Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
• Magnolia (Magnolia)

Trees and shrubs flowering in mid to late summer are doing so on the current year’s growth. These trees and shrubs should be pruned in winter or early spring. These species include:

• Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
• Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
• Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
• Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissiam)
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Wisteria (Wisteria species)

Pruning these species outside the timeframes described above can lead to a year without their flowering. Unseasonal pruning also exposes your tree to opportunistic diseases and insect infestation.

Pruning Fruit Trees

Your fruit trees should be pruned during dormancy, winter to early spring when foliage has fallen, and you can see the tree’s growing points (dormant buds). Think of your fruit tree as having vertical and horizontal branches.

Pruning a vertical branch will encourage vegetative growth, creating a bushing effect. Pruning horizontal branches renews fruiting wood and thins excessive fruiting.

Pruning vertical branches opens the tree canopy to more light while pruning horizontal branches removes fruit. Horizontal branches left unpruned will bear fruit earlier with more massive crops than those that were pruned.

When preparing to prune, be aware of the following fruiting principals of your tree:

These trees fruit on last year’s shoot growth and produce abundant crops. You can safely remove half of the previous year’s growth:

• Kiwi
• Peach
• Nectarine

These trees bear on spurs. You can remove up to 20% of the previous year’s growth:

• Olive
• Walnut
• Fig
• Pecan
• Apple
• Pear
• Plumb
• Apricot

Perhaps the easiest to maintain are trees bearing citrus fruit. Keep the tree skirts pruned off the ground:

• Grapefruit
• Orange
• Lemon
• Clementine
• Pomelo

Pruning fruit-bearing trees in the summer will slow fruit ripening and expose it to sunburn. However, early summer pruning can slow the growth of overly vigorous trees that have become too large to manage.

Tip: Sun exposed branches are fruitful and will produce larger fruit. Shaded branches will eventually stop producing fruit until drastic topping occurs. If you do most of your pruning in the top portion of the tree, the lower branches will continue exposed to sunlight.

Pruning Diseased and Infested Trees

Dead, diseased, and insect-infested branches (of any tree species) can be removed at any time of the year. In fact, the harm of leaving these branches, until the right pruning season, far outweighs the potential risks of pruning them off, out of season.

If the infestation or disease symptoms are present near the branch collar or on the tree trunk, hire a professional tree service to evaluate the tree’s condition and recommend a course of treatment or preventive actions, including emergency removal.

Note: In cases of severe infestation or infection, it is common practice to remove and destroy the tree. Thus preserving the health of your landscape and neighboring trees.

Pruning To Prevent Self-Pruning

Light deprived branches do not photosynthesize at the capacity they were intended. Over time, the tree may isolate that branch and let it go. In such scenarios, the sudden falling of a branch may occur, as the tree has self-pruned. Also known as cladoptosis, the following trees are notorious for spontaneously dropping their branches:

• Eucalyptus
• Aspen
• Elm
• Maple
• Pecan
• Pine
• Poplar
• Willow

Even providing the best care and attention possible to your trees, you may not be successful at preventing them from self-pruning. However, the following will help you slow this natural process:

• Water your tree frequently with occasional deep waterings
• Check the soil annually for nutrient deficiencies and its pH level
• Prune to encourage healthy growth and remove unwanted/unneeded growth, consider crown thinning to allow more light to reach lower branches
• Have your trees inspected annually for signs of infection and disease

Note: Even trees not known to self-prune may do so when under severe duress. Read more about cladoptosis at toddsmariettatreeservices.com/self-pruning-trees-cladoptosis/

Pruning Tools

The pruning process begins with the right tools for the job. Before starting, verify that your tools are sharp (to make clean cuts) and that they have been sanitized (to prevent transmitting disease pathogens) since their last use. The following is a list of tools to help you get your pruning job done correctly:

• Hand-Held Pruning Shears (safely cuts branches up to ¾ of an inch)
• Loppers (safely cuts branches up to 2-½ inches thick)
• Pruning Saw (capable of cutting branches up to 5 inches in diameter)
• Pole Pruner (used to cut branches up to 1-¼ inch thick up to 8 feet into the canopy)
• Hedge Shears (these work well to trim evergreens)

Due to weight and the potential hazard more massive branches may pose, it is highly recommended that a professional tree service be hired to remove them.

Tip: Pruning shears and loppers come with anvil (has a straight blade using a splitting action), bypass (similar to scissors), and ratchet (like anvil, but with a locking mechanism allowing you to cut in stages) style blades.

How To Prune Tree Branches

The following will help you determine where and how to make pruning cuts:

Small Twigs and Branches – Use hand-held shears for anything up to ¾ of an inch. You can cut these back to the main branch, or just in front of (¼ of an inch) a dormant bud to encourage growth in the bud’s direction. All cuts should be clean and made at 45-degree angles.

Stems and Branches – Use loppers or a pole pruner to cut anything up to 2-½ inches. These can also be cut back to the main branch or trunk (just in front of the branch collar). If pruning out disease, make your cut 10 to 12 inches ahead of the affected area.

Large Branches – Use a saw to cut branches up to 5 inches in diameter. Due to the weight of these branches and potential for severe bark damage, make your cuts as follows:

• Cut #1 is made under the branch about six inches ahead of the branch collar. This cut should be ¼ of the branch’s diameter.
• Cut #2 is made about 6 inches in front of the first cut to sever the branch from the tree.
• Cut #3 is made just ahead of the branch collar to remove the rest of the branch.

Watch this video to see how pruning cuts are made.

Tip: When pruning any size branch back to the main branch or trunk, do not injure the branch collar. This is the tree’s mechanism used to compartmentalize the wounds left behind by pruning activities.

Note: When pruning out diseased wood, dispose of it carefully. Do not compost diseased wood or foliage, and sanitize your pruning equipment and gloves after contact with infected wood.

Tree Pruning

In this article, you discovered the best times and reasons for pruning various tree species, the value of properly pruning your trees, how to make pruning cuts, and when to call for professional help.

By pruning your trees, you can encourage vigorous growth, remove disease and infestation, and improve their health.

When you neglect to prune your trees, you encourage disease and infestation to debilitate your tree’s health, eventually leading to its death.

Sources:
mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-and-plant-advice/horticulture-care/pruning-evergreens
pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-456/430-456.html
hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/pruning-trees/
arborday.org/trees/tips/
cesonoma.ucanr.edu/files/27164.pdf

Avoid spending hundreds of dollars hiring a firm or renting a grinder to remove your tree stump. By knowing how to safely remove a tree stump, you can regain your landscape and save money.

72tree.com assembled the following information on methods for removing a tree stump without a grinder and crucial safety measures to observe.

Manual Tree Stump Removal

You can remove small and medium-sized stumps yourself with a few tools, some ingenuity, and muscle. When it comes to more massive stumps, you may want to get the help of a friend or relative to speed up the job and help with the heavy lifting.

Project Time: Manually removing your stump could take as little as 4 hours or up to 12, hours depending on the root ball’s number of roots and depth.

Removal Time: 4 to 12 hours

Tools, Protective Gear, and Costs:

•A sturdy and sharp shovel $15 to $35

•A mattock (similar to a pick-ax) $20 to $30

•An ax $25 to $45

•A steel 17Lb+ digging bar $30 to $40

•A bow saw $12 to $50

•Sturdy steel-toed boots $50 to $100

•Well-fitting work gloves $5 to $25

Your work gloves should snugly fit your hands. Loose gloves will move around, rub the skin, and cause blisters (defeating the purpose of wearing them).

Removing The Stump

1. Use the mattock, digging bar, and shovel to clear as much of the soil from around the stump and roots. Dig deep and wide to gain access to as many of the roots as possible. The larger the stump, the more soil you will need to remove.

2. Use the bow saw, mattock, and an ax to chop your way through the roots. When wielding an ax, take care to avoid over-chopping into the soil; this will quickly dull the blade.

3. As you cut roots away from the stump, cut them a second time to remove them from your work area.

4. Work your way around and under the root ball. Some species will grow a taproot, and this root will require some effort to sever. The more mature the tree, the more substantial the taproot will be. Dig deep and wide to gain as much access to this root as possible.

5. Once the stump is free, drag it out of the hole and fill in the void. (it will take more soil to fill in the hole than you removed from it).

Note: If you are not comfortable or knowledgeable using an ax, DO NOT use one. This tool can inflict severe harm if misused, use your mattock and/or bow saw in its place.

Tip: You can save a lot of time using a pressure washer to clear soil away from roots. Do this in sections and let the excess water soak into the ground. You can also dig a trench to guide water and soil away from your work area as you blast through the soil.

Chemical Tree Stump Removal

Just because there is no trunk or canopy, your stump may still be alive. Other trees in close proximity may be sharing water and sugars through their root systems, or your stump’s roots may have enough stored water and nutrients to attempt a comeback.

If multiple trees are connected by roots, the use of harsh chemicals on your stump may have adverse effects on the trees helping it to stay alive. Read more about killing tree stumps at 72tree.com/how-to-kill-stop-tree-stumps-growing-back/

You can remove medium and large-sized stumps chemically. While this process is much slower than manually removing the stump, it will save you from digging up your yard.

Project Time: Your stump’s height and diameter are determining factors for this project. It can be done in 1 hour and last as much as 4 hours.

Removal Time: 6 months to 1 year

Tools, Protective Gear, and Costs:

•A chainsaw (if you need to lower the height of the stump) $60 to $250

•A bow saw $12 to $50

•A drill and large boring bit (use the largest bit you can find) $70 to $200

•Plastic tarp $4 to $18

•Potassium-nitrate stump remover granules or high-nitrogen fertilizer $15 to $25

•Organic mulch $15 to $25 (free if you compost)

•Sturdy steel-toed boots (if using a chainsaw) $50 to $100

•Well-fitting work gloves $5 to $25

A note about the removal time: This process relies on the breaking down of organic matter and relies on warmth and moisture. In cooler climates, removal time may exceed 1 year while in warmer climates, this time may be less than 6 months.

Removing The Stump

1. Use your chainsaw or bow saw to lower the height of the stump. The lower to the ground, the more efficient this process will be.

2. Dill several deep holes in the stump. Use the widest bit available to you and drill the holes close together.

3. Fill each hole with water and your remover granules or fertilizer (don’t be shy, pour it in).

4. Use a soaker hose to saturate the soil surrounding the stump and apply a 3 to 6-inch layer of organic mulch over and around the stump.

5. Cover the stump and mulched area with a tarp to further retain the moisture.

6. Secure the tarp by staking it, covering it with a thick layer of organic mulch, and placing heavy objects (rocks and/or potted plants) on it.

7. Every 2 to 3 weeks, remove the tarp, repeat steps 3 and 4, and replace the tarp.

Under optimal conditions, the stump may soften within 3 to 4 months. It can then be broken up with an ax, retreated, and completely buried to further decay underground.

Note: Protect yourself with gloves, protective glasses, and clothing when using or dispersing chemicals. Wash your hands and any exposed body parts thoroughly after completing this job.

Tip: When having a tree removed, request that the tree be cut as close to the ground as possible. By doing this, you will save a lot of time when chemically removing your stump.

Caution: While other, more caustic agents like muriatic acid can be used to chemically remove a stump, they bring severe health hazards with them. Many acids do not require physical contact to cause harm, inhaling their vapors can cause significant respiratory damage. Avoid using such chemicals to preserve the health of your loved ones and surrounding wildlife.

Tree Stump Removal by Fire

You can remove medium and large-sized stumps by burning them. Before embarking on this method, verify that there are no municipal restrictions or forbiddance by HOA rules on burning out tree stumps.

Project Time: Depending on the freshness of your stump, this project can be done in 1 hour and last as much as 2 hours.

Removal Time: 1 day

Tools, Protective Gear, and Costs:

•A drill and large boring bit (use the largest bit you can find) $70 to $200

•A sturdy and sharp shovel $15 to $35

•Kerosine $2.70 to $3.30 per gallon (pricing varies with fuel market values)

The more time your tree stump has had to dry out, the more effective this method will be. However, stump removal by fire can be used at any time.

1. Start by digging a trench around your stump 4 to 6-inches deep and 10 to 12-inches wide. This will remove grass and debris that might ignite.

2. Drill several holes as wide and as deep as you can into the stump, the more, the better. Using a hammer and chisel, bore out a deep hole 3 to 4-inches wide in the center of the stump.

3. Pour kerosine into all of the holes and let the stump soak it up. Repeat this step several (3 to 4) times before lighting the stump on fire.

4. When you are ready to light the stump, apply kerosine once more. The larger, center hole should be wet with kerosene and filled with charcoal to intensify the heat. Ignite the stump from a safe distance.

5. Let the stump burn completely before disturbing it.

6. Anything left after this method should be easily broken apart and buried where the stump once was.

Tip: Keep a fire extinguisher and water hose close by when burning a stump. If winds pick up, embers may be blown to surrounding structures, use the hose to extinguish the embers.

Caution: Kerosine floats on water. If you must extinguish the fire, use a fire extinguisher on the stump. The use of water may carry lit kerosine spraying in all directions.

Tree Stump Removal

Along with the options presented in this article, come specific hazards that should be addressed when attempting to remove a tree stump. If, at any juncture, you feel that you cannot safely remove your tree stump, stop what you are doing, and call a professional tree service to remove the stump for you.

How To Remove a Tree Stump

In this article, you discovered multiple methods for removing a tree stump without using a stump grinder and crucial tips to speed up the job and keep you safe.

By following some simple instructions and properly using your tools, you can remove your tree stump without the cost or mess of using a stump grinder.

Improperly trying to remove a tree stump may result in catastrophic physical injuries leading to costly medical bills and health consequences.

Sources:
extension.sdstate.edu/how-remove-stump
extension.illinois.edu/blogs/rhonda-ferrees-ilriverhort/2014-06-20-removing-tree-stumps
warnell.uga.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Stump%20Removal%20pub_14-8.pdf

This article was first published on: http://www.72tree.com/how-to-remove-a-tree-stump-without-a-grinder/