Structural Pruning

We often recommend structural pruning for young trees.  This pruning allows us to focus on the strong parts of the tree’s form and reduce or eliminate the weak parts.  There are some general principles to follow, and a lot of freedom to make good (or poor) decisions.  Good structural pruning is like teaching your kids good habits and healthy living when they are young – it carries over into adulthood.  Trees that grow into good structure may need minimal or no pruning through most of their mature lives.

Some trees will need more or less of this early guidance, depending on both the species and the particular specimen.  Many oaks, pines and sycamores grow strong form on their own, while many ash and elm do not.  Keys to strong form include: a single main trunk stem most of the way up, wide angles where branches attach to parent stems, and branches significantly smaller than the parent stem they are attached to.  This is less important with small-at-maturity trees.

Improving the structure becomes very difficult as the tree gets larger.  Mature trees often just are what they are, with little that can be done to really change their basic form.  Trees that skipped early training may need a lot more intervention when mature.  Let us assess the structure of your young trees – we can tell you if improvement is recommended and we can do that work with skill!

Contact us to find out why we are considered the best tree service in Albuquerque.