For many plants, growth stops in the fall. Therefore, the “quiet season” is also the best time of year to prune perennials, shrubs, hedges, and potted plants . Trees also benefit from pruning now – especially for fruit trees, after the harvest is the perfect time. Autumn pruning removes old and diseased branches and leaves.
- the trees are less susceptible to fungal and pest infestation in spring
- sprout more luxuriantly in spring
- give you a richer harvest and are healthy and vital again.
You may remove these tree parts In principle,
- dead branches
- thin branches near the tree trunk
- diseased plant parts
- Water shoots that appear in large numbers after heavy pruning measures
- Branches that overlap or rub against each other
With fruit trees, you should also cut off old, worn, drooping fruit-bearing branches that no longer produce fruit. Trees that you planted in the garden this year don’t need to be thinned immediately—they usually receive a so-called “plant pruning” immediately after planting.
The cut wood can be easily shredded, composted, or used as frost protection over flowerbeds to winterize your garden . Only diseased or fungus-infected branches belong in the organic waste bin and not in the compost heap.
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The right tool
The right tools make tree thinning much easier. Rose or hedge shears are used to trim wilted blossoms and thin branches. Tree pruners and hand saws are ideal for trimming thicker branches and dense shrubs . Loppers have particularly long handles and a powerful blade, making them ideal for cutting even centimeters of thick wood – provided they’re at a reachable height.
When thinning a tree, it’s often necessary to reach hard-to-reach parts. Special tree shears with a cable-operated system on an extendable telescopic handle are helpful here. However, it’s even better to let a professional do the work for tall trees – as this can be quite dangerous. Tree care professionals will arrive equipped with professional climbing gear and efficient tools. They are familiar with safety regulations and are extensively trained in tree pruning.
What you probably don’t need for proper tree pruning is wound closure . If pruning is done correctly and at the optimal time, trees usually heal themselves quickly. Therefore, you don’t need to resort to various “miracle cures” for this gardening task.
Tips for perfect tree pruning
When pruning in the fall, it’s important to do it on a warm, sunny day if possible. In cool temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius, branches break easily, leaving large, misshapen wounds. This, in turn, leads to damage to the plant. Conifers like firs and spruces, or deciduous trees like oaks and maples, should generally not be pruned at all. Large fruit trees, on the other hand, must be trimmed or thinned out.
For the perfect pruning, it’s also crucial whether the tree is a fast-growing species. If the tree is older and not growing as much, cut branches completely just before a new shoot appears. This will “rejuvenate” the tree and “promote” it.
