Large Pine Pruning

[My2cents]

I have and idea I want some advice on.
I have some large White Pines I want to Prune They measure about 23" Dia and are about 50-60 Ft high, nice and straight. How high can I prune the limbs upwards without killing the Tree? I want to stunt the trees growth while allowing more sun light to reach the trees below. A few of these tree's if cut down would create to much damage to the surrounding area. That why I ask about pruning.

 

[TREETX]

Instead of having many stunted, hacked on trees, why not remove a few and then have just a few really healthy trees. Thus redistributing the growth potential over the residual trees and the landscaping.

The trees should be possible to remove in pieces w/out causing much damage.

That is it for my .02

 

[treeclimber165]

Most pines do not take pruning very well, at least the pines I'm familiar with. Your assessment that some pines could not be removed without damage to surrounding landscape has set you down the wrong path seeking a solution that you have already dismissed. I must agree with treetx.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Aside form the biological problem with loss of dynamic mass (cutting to many leaves off) drasticly raising the tree changes the way it moves in the wind.

Anyone who has removed a tree knows that it moves more when you cut branches off, but we have just recently been informed by engineers that the limbs hold the tree in place through "mass dampening" (I used to call it inertial stablization).

If more light is needed, and thinning the stand is not an option, then maybe thinning the canopies would help some. Many times just cleaning out the deadwood will make a "night and day" differeance.

 

[Oxman]

pine pruning

When pruning a pine one need only look to the japanese for inspiration. The japanese prune their trees to withstand hurricane force winds. The problem is an arborist with little or no experience with japanese technique finds himself lost. Retain the central leader. Prune off some of the larger horizontal limbs that grow from the stem, leaving smaller ones nearby to assume the role of the larger branch. Tip back branches that grow horizontal and turn upward on the end to a suitable strait or downward growing lateral. Reduce the vertical growing co-dominant stems. but just enough to reduce its competition with the leader and not cause rot. Remember to keep the smaller laterals closest to the bole of the tree. If you like you can prune off the elongated candles in the spring to maintain compact branching and size.
I hope this helps

John Kakouris
certified arborist #379

 

[t6140p]

pine trimming

I never much cared for the idea of pruning White Pines for light or air movement. I know we all look for rubing limbs to remove but it seem's that pines like to have other limbs to support them. to many times I've had to go back to a clients property and clean up broken limbs because the tree was thinned the year before now the limbs were left there flapping in the breeze. just waiting to snap. I agree with just pruning the deadwood is a night and day difference. Or the thinning of the heard.