A beautiful tree serves as a decoration for a site, a summer residence, a cityscape. It transforms the surrounding landscape, transforming it from dull and deserted into a cozy place that you do not want to leave. But trees, like people, should be well-groomed. A sad sight - trees with overgrown crowns, dry branches. In addition to disrupting aesthetics, they can be dangerous. A slight breeze - and a broken off dry bush will fall on a power line, a building, and may cripple people. To avoid unpleasant situations, it is required to carry out sanitary pruning of the tree in a timely manner.

Why you need to perform sanitary pruning

Dry branches can be seen on untreated trees. They appear when they are affected by diseases or as a result of the natural process of death of a number of branches. May form due to frost damage. Most often, branches at the base, as well as young growth, are frozen. As a result, the movement of juices is disrupted, and in the spring, after leafing, the dying off of individual branches begins. All dead fragments must be cut down.

It is also necessary to carry out sanitary pruning of a tree to remove healthy branches that are simply superfluous, they thicken the crown, turning it into a shapeless green mass. Especially a lot of excess growth, the so-called tops, is formed by unprofessional pruning of branches. Experts carefully examine the plants. After that, they usually remove:

• dry or affected by the drying process;
• parts of a tree with signs of mycosis;
• coppice and overlapping shoots;
• "pins" of branches ("hemp"), formed after inept pruning;
• broken and hanging down on the crown of the branch.

Standards for sanitary pruning of trees

There are statutory rules that strictly regulate sanitary pruning. When carrying out work, the following standards are mandatory:

• Pruning is only used on well-rooted plants.
• The branches are cut off in the "ring" manner, and the shoots are sheared over the outer bud.
• Branches pointing upwards are cut at an angle. This method is used to avoid water retention on the trimmed surface.
• The resulting sections are lubricated with a special compound (with the exception of pines and spruces).
• Sanitary pruning can be done year-round. However, for fruit, it is better to carry out in the summer-spring period.

The cardinality of pruning is associated with the nature of the damage, the age of the tree, and the species. Damaged wood on young plantations is trimmed to healthy tissues, sometimes it is necessary to remove the crown completely. Only experts can make a decision on the need for sanitary pruning of trees, choose the right time for work. After removing unnecessary branches, the tree gains the opportunity to develop faster, acquires an aesthetic shape.

The cost of sanitary pruning of trees

The cost of pruning is determined by the complexity of access to the branches, the amount of work. Our team of professionals specializing in the pruning of green spaces is equipped with the necessary equipment. It is not always possible to throw cut pieces of a tree down because of the buildings underneath or electrical communications. The branches are fixed to the trees and carefully transported down. In this case, a mechanism is used that is fixed at the top of the tree. If the branches are large, then sawing into parts is performed. At the request of the customer, the cuts are processed with a special compound.

When self-pruning, it is difficult to take into account all the factors; often unprofessional work only harms the plantings. By ordering the departure of the brigade in Moscow and the Moscow region and entrusting the work to specialists, you will heal the tree and create conditions for the development of a beautiful crown of the correct shape. In addition to sanitary pruning, it is possible to remove the emergency tree. An important factor influencing the appeal to the services of professionals is speed and safety.

Everyone should be concerned about the sanitary pruning of the garden. The complex of measures includes cleaning the trunk from excess growths, shoots, removing old diseased branches. Let's consider all these features in more detail.

Shrub pruning.

If you do not pay attention to all the activities related to sanitary pruning, the garden will look neglected. The shoots of trees will grow overgrown with tops - strict straight shoots that will grow upward and draw moisture and valuable substances from the soil. In this case, they can be bent and fixed to give them a horizontal position or to cut them out.

Purposes of sanitary pruning

Both fruit trees and ornamental species and berry bushes are subject to sanitary pruning. With extreme caution, you need to prune remontant raspberries. The thing is that in the first year it releases a shoot, and already in the second year fruits begin to form on it. If you cut the latter, you will not be able to get a crop.

Sanitary pruning of apple trees in the fall. Illustration for the article is used under a standard license © ofazende.ru

If you clean up according to all the rules, you can transform the garden and make it more aesthetic. You will need a pruner or garden saw as tools. In addition, you will need garden varnish, alcohol, garden paint and a piece of old cloth.

Once the cut is over, you can apply one of the garden products to the ring. After processing each tree, tools must be wiped with alcohol to prevent infection of the plants.

Important! At the time of work in your garden, cut the shoots "on the ring" without hemp. Use pruning shears to remove 2-3 cm thick shoots, and cut off larger specimens with a garden saw. If it is necessary to eliminate an old or unhealthy branch, first remove all the twigs from it, then trim from the bottom, then from the top. Thus, it will evenly break down and exclude the formation of a painful scuff on the bark, which may not heal for a long time.

Advantages of autumn sanitary pruning of woody and shrub plants

There are many advantages to garden pruning. With its help, you can get rid of damaged and old shoots, as well as those that grow in the middle of the crown. The procedure will improve the growth and development of plants and allow them to prolong their youth. Ruthlessly remove old shoots, branches and twigs. Despite the fact that they are large, they will have to be removed in any case, because they often grow deeper into the crown and thicken the plantings. As a rule, this phenomenon is typical for a currant bush.

Ruthlessly remove old shoots. Illustration for the article is used under a standard license © ofazende.ru

Pay due attention to common raspberries: shoots that have already borne fruit must be cut off at the very base.

Read also:

Pruning pears in autumn

Regardless of what you are cutting - a bush or a tree, you need to cut all the shoots that have fruited into a ring. In currants, they will be black. In addition, remove excess intertwined shoots and those that show signs of disease and traces of pests. Mechanically damaged branches must also be removed. Thus, you can strengthen the immunity of plants.

Timing of sanitary pruning

In the south of the country, it is recommended to resort to varietal cleaning at the end of November, in the central regions - in early November, in the north of Russia - in October.

In the south of the country, it is recommended to resort to varietal cleaning at the end of November. Illustration for the article is used under a standard license © ofazende.ru

It is great if, by the time of the procedures, the plant has shed most of the leaf blades. It is necessary to start removing old branches and shoots during a period when the air temperature is a maximum of 5 degrees below zero. If you ignore this recommendation and take up work in extreme cold, the tissues of the plant, which have already been frozen by this moment, may be thinned, as a result of which they begin to break off and cause damage to a shrub or tree.

Sanitary garden pruning

If you are still not familiar with the basic rules for garden pruning, it's time to take a closer look at them.

First of all, you must take up the elimination of all dried up shoots. In this case, cleaning must be carried out so that healthy tissues (if any) are affected by a few centimeters. If they are absent, it will be necessary to cut out to the ground, and then apply a garden pitch to the cuts.

Then you should pay attention to cutting out shoots that could not withstand severe cold and frost holes are visible on them. You need to completely cut out the affected tissue at the base of the skeletal shoots and young growing shoots. All this will allow restoring the conductive shoot system and activating the growth of full-fledged parts of a shrub or tree. All shoots growing deep into the crown must be removed without fail. They not only thicken the crown, but also reduce the effectiveness of pesticides used to treat plants. If left intact, the middle of the crown will be weakened and become a breeding ground for infectious diseases.

First of all, we remove dried shoots. Illustration for the article is used under a standard license © ofazende.ru

The intensity of flowering will decrease, the process of fruit ripening will slow down, the plant will be susceptible to attacks by pests and various ailments.

Read also:

Common mistakes when pruning plants

Then start removing vertical shoots. You can also bend them 90 degrees. Shoots located at too sharp angles, tie to the trunk or cut. If this is not done, wounds that do not heal for a long time will appear on the bark. All shoots with signs of pests and diseases must be cut off and disposed of by burning them outside the site. In this way, you will protect healthy plants growing in your garden from infection.

Competitive shoots, in particular those that rub against each other in strong winds, should be cut off. Leave only a thick, well-developed shoot. Cut the second into the ring.

What about broken shoots? Of course, they will also have to be cut. It doesn't matter what caused them to be damaged, wind or disease, in any case, they have no place on a healthy plant.

If you run out of garden pitch, you can paint over the cuts with garden paint. Cut out old shoots that have not been fruitful for a long time and look for younger ones growing nearby in the same direction.

Sanitary pruning of shrubs

This pruning is practically no different from that done with shrubs.

Sanitary pruning of gooseberries. Illustration for the article is used under a standard license © ofazende.ru

If you are growing red or black currants, remove any deformed aphid shoots and those on which you find bloated buds. The presence of the latter indicates that they are affected by a kidney mite or they had terry shoots, which are considered a sign of a viral disease. The optimal time for the procedure is October.

As for the common raspberry, you need to cut out all the shoots that have served their purpose, as well as those that are broken or too thicken the planting. It is recommended to manipulate the bushes in October-November.

If we are talking about viburnum, then it is necessary to reduce the growth of the tree. To do this, you need to select shoots growing from below, but looking up. Prune the ones at the top at the bottom, as harvesting will not be easy over time. The thinning period is in November.

The same goes for sea buckthorn. Some tall shoots can be removed, leaving room for young ones growing from below. It is recommended to spend time with sea buckthorn in October.

Irga can be cut every five years. You need to remove shoots at the level of your belt. After that, she will release new branches, from which it will be convenient for you to collect fruits. This should be done in the fall, at any time.

A plant such as chokeberry responds well to pruning. If you remove the center conductor, the shrub will begin to grow in width, so it will be possible to harvest a generous crop from its branches without any problems. Get started in November.

Gooseberry also takes this procedure well. Initially, you need to remove the shoots that spread along the ground. Collecting berries from such branches is not recommended, because it can be infected with late blight. Lift the bush up to form a trunk. Thus, the branches with berries will not lie on the ground. Also, cut off damaged and dry branches. This can be done at the end of October.

As with any climbing work, pruning trees is risky. It is important to know how to properly prune branches so as not to harm the plant. In many courtyards of large cities, in particular Moscow, you can see bare trunks, without a crown. This is an example of the so-called topping, one of the types of sanitary pruning, in which the crown is completely removed and the tree trunk is filed. This is not a very safe procedure, especially for the tree plantings themselves, since it may not recover after such treatment. In some cases, completely removing the crown does help save the plant, but this only applies to breeds that can quickly form new shoots. Even then, complete recovery is not guaranteed. Most often, you have to intensively fertilize the soil and repeat the procedure for prevention. Specialists cut only those branches that pose a threat to the tree or are unsafe. Then the branches are carefully lowered down so that the flying branch does not scratch the bark. This approach avoids further decay of the trunk. Parts that are removed during sanitary trimming:

• Intertwining branches to form a neat crown.
• Broken branches.
• Old and diseased pieces of wood.
• Ingrown branches.

Arborists also process the cut sites with a special compound for quick healing. It also prevents the need for re-treatment due to wood contamination. 0

In the fall, it is time to prune plants in the garden. This period is ideal for pruning raspberries and currants, as well as cherries and plums. After all, these crops do not tolerate spring pruning very well.

General rules

The need for pruning certain plants arises very often. Therefore, it is necessary to have special tools for these purposes.

1. It is necessary to prepare garden shears, as well as a pruner, which has a fixed retainer, which will be needed for more powerful branches.
2. To trim a hedge, there are special brush cutters. Electrical devices are sometimes also used for this.
3. To give the shrub a curly shape, they also use special scissors.
4. High branches are cut with a special tool with long handles.
5. The most powerful branches can be cut with a saw. A hacksaw is suitable for old dry branches.
6. Prepare a garden knife to cut slices.

All tools must be treated with an antibacterial agent before work. Gasoline or an alcohol solution is suitable for this. It is also important that the tools do not rust.

Formative pruning

It is best to plant seedlings purchased in a nursery, in which the crown is already correctly formed. If you have to do all the work yourself, you need to learn how to shape both the crown and the trunk correctly.

The task of formative pruning is to make the skeleton of a tree or shrub look beautiful and powerful. Therefore, the procedure will need to be performed quite often. Depending on the characteristics of the plant, the duration of formation is different. But in any case, this will need to be done from the very planting, and continue for several years after that.

The thinning of the crown plays a very important role in its formation. Only with the correct formative pruning will the plant grow healthy. By removing unnecessary branches, we allow light to enter the crown. As a result, the plant will grow and develop better.

Pruning to stimulate flowering

It is necessary for those shrubs that need new shoots in order to bloom every year. Stimulating pruning is done after flowering. The inflorescences are cut off, leaving a strong growth. The thin growth must be removed.

Young plants are not pruned much. Only weak and affected branches are removed. At the same time, the skeletal branches are shortened by a few cm. The next year and further, the faded shoots must be cut off. Only the lower new increments remain. In this way, the crown is formed at will.

It is regularly recommended to shorten old branches that do not bear fruit by ¼ or 1/5 part. Those plants that bloom in summer form flower buds in spring. Pruning is carried out either in mid or late autumn. It can also be done in early spring.

Sanitary pruning

No matter how well you tend the garden, the branches will die off. Some will be undeveloped or crooked. Therefore, it is also necessary to carry out sanitary pruning. At the same time, old and diseased branches are removed.

Excessive thickening of the crown, diseases, and the presence of dry branches can serve as a ground for sanitary pruning of trees. This type of pruning allows you to restore the decorative qualities of urban trees and significantly improve the fruiting of garden trees.

Why crop

Regardless of the type and decorative merits, in all woody plants, some of the branches for one reason or another cease to fulfill their role. Some of them dry out, others break off, some are damaged by diseases or pests. Such branches not only spoil the appearance of plants, they pose a danger as a source of infection and a breeding ground for pests. It also increases the risk of a tree falling suddenly. Therefore, any type of pruning should begin with a sanitary cleaning of the crown, in the process of which all dried, broken and damaged branches are removed.

In the autumn-winter period, when tree branches are bare and easily accessible for inspection, it is recommended to check the skeletal branches for safety for the surrounding space.

Time to trim

The best time for sanitary pruning of damaged, still living branches is just before leafing out, then during the active growing season and immediately after the foliage falls. For breeds with active sap flow (birch, maple, etc.), for aesthetic purposes, we exclude the period of budding. It should be remembered that strong and untimely pruning of living branches in the second half of summer leads to a decrease in the winter hardiness of plants, as it can provoke the growth of new shoots from dormant buds and young shoots, without having time to lignify, will die from early autumn frosts. Sanitary pruning of dry branches can be done year-round.

In the autumn-winter period, when tree branches are bare and easily accessible for inspection, it is recommended to check the skeletal branches for safety for the surrounding space. This is an ideal period to monitor the condition of the crown, as experts have the opportunity to carefully examine it.

Pruning should not be carried out on trees that have nests or hollows inhabited by raising birds, squirrels and bats.

Strong and untimely pruning of living branches in the second half of summer leads to a decrease in the winter hardiness of plants.

How to trim

When pruning, it is necessary to avoid injury to the collar of the branch, since otherwise the transportation of water and assimilation products and the conducting system to the roots will be disturbed. Do not forget about the correct pruning technology - the so-called rule of three sections - when removing a live branch. Trimming should be done exactly at the branch collar, as it is often more visible than the trunk collar. The tree grows on the collars of the trunk and branches the so-called protective wood, which can react very quickly to damage and thus in most cases block the path of infection.