Commonwealth Edison recently hired a contractor to prune several trees in front of the grandparent’s house. A representative from ComEd made a point to stop by and tell us that they would be doing the work the following Wednesday and the trees were clearly marked. One of the men who was supervising the tree trimming also took the time to explain what they were going to do and how they would go about it. These are trees that I drive past many times a day, and I knew that they were going to be pruned.
Our dinner table conversation last Wednesday evening centered around whether or not the work had actually been performed. I was convinced no pruning was done that day. My husband assured me that it had been. As I was driving home, I had looked at the trees. They looked great! It is my job to evaluate shrubs and trees, and I surmised that their shape looked so good, that there was no way any pruning had been done. I was completely wrong.
My misconception was that when trees are pruned by a contractor hired by a utility company, the contractor would uniformly cut the tips of all the branches in the shape of a large arc away from the utility lines. This is what we have all seen for years and really have come to accept as the norm. This is an incorrect pruning practice. It is not good for the plants but because it has been happening for years we have just come to accept it. Pruning is truly an art form. When done correctly, it involves evaluating each and every branch before it is cut. Of course there is a time and place for shearing or shaping plants, but generally pruning is a better plant practice. During the evaluation part of pruning, it is important to see what cuts can be made to improve the overall health of the plant. Proper pruning practices result in a healthier tree and can add to the longevity of the tree.
Recently, our community suffered damage to hundreds of trees. The limbs have been gathered and the branches raked. If you have a tree that suffered damage in the storm in late September, you may want to evaluate your tree. If branches broke off, you may want to prune the portion of the branch or branches that are still left on your tree. A correct pruning cut would be just above a lateral branch and would be done at an approximate 45-degree angle.
While incorrect pruning cannot be blamed for the damage that 70-mile per hours winds did to our trees. Proper pruning practices done on a consistent basis does result in plants that are healthier. I had not recognized the fact that the trees in front of my grandparent’s house had been pruned, because they took the time to do it correctly. This will pay off in the future because as they grow they will grow away from the lines and will need less pruning. Often times, uniformly shearing a plant results in is growing faster and in the exact opposite direction that we want it to grow.
Unfortunately in that September storm, many trees were completely uprooted or fell over. If there was a tree in your yard, that did not survive the storm here are a few that you may want to consider planting:
Black Hills Spruce(Picea glauca ‘Densata’) This is an evergreen tree that at maturity will reach about 35’ tall and 15’ wide. It is tolerant to our clay soils. Its dense shape makes it resistant to winter injury and acts as a natural windbreak. It can be used as a specimen tree or in a group.
Chanticleer Pear(Pyrus calleryana ‘Glens Form’) The beautiful white flowers and are welcome sign of spring. The narrow pyramidal form on the tree lends itself to many uses. It is an ideal specimen tree for areas with limited space. The foliage exhibits an interesting purple red color in the fall. The mature height is 25-30’ with a width of 15’.
Red Sunset Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Franksred’) This maple is widely considered to have the best fall color. It is a moderately fast growing shade tree that will reach about 45’ tall and 35’ wide at maturity. Its rounded form provides wonderful shade.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
