The Safe and Easy way to Prune Trees

June is the best month of the year to prune deciduous trees. With the leaves gone from the trees, it’s far easier to see which branches nee d to be chopped off due to disease, age or weak growth. But before you grab your pruning gear, read our tips below. Pruning tree branches can be dangerous if you go about it in the wrong manner.

Here are a few pointers will help you do it safely and easily :

• Use a sharp pruning saw to make a cut on the underside of the branch, about 15cm from the main stem. Cut half way through the branch.
• Next, make a cut from the top side of the branch, about 1cm further away from the main stem than the previous cut. Keep cutting until the branch falls off. The weight of the branch will cause it to fall off without too much effort on your part.
• You will now be left with a short stump on the tree with a “step-like” cut. Saw this stump off as close as possible to the main stem.

Please note: If you have to remove branches from very large trees it is best to contact a tree surgeon, as they have specialised equipment for these jobs.