Pruning E White Pine stubs

[Mark956]

Gents, I have a number of mature Eastern White Pines that I am finally getting around to removing deadwood from. Over the years I have lost limbs due to snow, etc , leaving stubs anywhere from several inches to as much as 5 feet. These stubs generally show no rot, seem healthy (surface cuts show green wood) and appear sealed naturally ; however the ends are jagged and there is no old nor new growth from them. There does not seem to be an effort to the tree to grow any callus around the base of the limbs. The attached is a typical example. Would you use normal pruning guidance to take these back to the trunk or leave as is? Thanks in advance.

 

[BeatCJ]

From what I see, there is no reason not to take those flush to the trunk. The suggestions I see say do it in winter, not during the damper seasons of fall or spring. Depending on the size of tree, it says prune up to 25 feet high to reduce the number of black knots in the first few logs. Another rule of thumb for conifers is to leave a minimum of 1/3 of of the crown, so don't prune to 25 if your trees are less than 40 feet tall. It won't hurt the trees to leave those in place, if you don't want to prune them.

 

[pdqdl]

Those old stubs will have been "compartmentalized" by the tree already. This is a process where the tree builds an internal barrier against disease invasion.

Go ahead and prune the stubs back to where the swelling around the branch meets the narrow branch itself. This is called the branch bark collar, and all nicks or injuries to that structure should be avoided. Cutting right up to it, however, is just fine. Stubs or living branches, this is how to do it:



"Flush" cuts are worse than leaving the hanging stubs.

 

[BeatCJ]

Those old stubs will have been "compartmentalized" by the tree already. This is a process where the tree builds an internal barrier against disease invasion.

"Flush" cuts are worse than leaving the hanging stubs.

Thanks for correcting that, I worded that poorly.

 

[pdqdl]

By the way: I'd move that climbing line before I trimmed that stub.
Just sayin'.

The real reason we wish to trim flush to the branch bark collar is so that the tree will eventually grow over and completely enclose the branch. Stubs pretty much never get enclosed without the decay setting in and causing the nub to fall off when totally rotten.