The Basics of Tree Pruning

MERISTEM TIPS :: VASCULAR SYSTEM :: TRANSPIRATION :: THE 1/3 RULE
THE BRANCH COLLAR :: TARGET PRUNING :: CONCLUSION :: GLOSSARY

TRANSPIRATION
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The leaves are the pumps of the vascular system. They create the life fluid for the tree through photosynthesis, and they create the pressure needed to pump these fluids through transpiration.

As water evaporates from the leaves, it creates a suction effect drawing water and minerals from the roots into the canopy. That is why we should not prune more than 10 or 15 per cent of the tree’s live wood in any one pruning.

Incorrect Pruning

If we over-prune the tree and remove too much foliage, we weaken the tree’s ability to respond to that pruning.
We need enough leaf on the tree to maintain sap pressure, to maintain vitality and vigor. Each leaf is a factory manufacturing photosynthates and carbohydrates.

Knowing how a tree grows is vital when we are trying to bring it in better harmony with its site. In this typical example, the lateral is in contact with the roof, which is a hazard for both the house and the tree.
In order to adjust the tree’s scaffold, maintain its natural form, and at the same time keep as many of its meristem tips as possible, the arborist applies the I/3 Rule.

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The Basics of Tree Pruning

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TRANSPIRATION
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