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There are a lot of words relating to trees that are often used incorrectly — at least in the technical sense.
Take the word “tree,” for example. Everyone intuitively knows what a tree is, but believe it or not, there’s not a single, universally agreed-upon scientific definition for the word that includes all trees yet excludes all shrubs. You may even see the word tree applied to things like banana plants, which are actually giant herbs, despite their tree-like form.
These terminology problems also involve a few tree-care techniques, such as the topic we’ll be discussing today: the difference between tree trimming and tree pruning.
Tree Trimming vs Tree Pruning: What’s the Difference?
Though they’re often used interchangeably, tree trimming and tree pruning refer to two different things.
- Tree Trimming: Tree trimming is the practice of cutting the branches of a tree (or shrub) with the goal of altering its size, shape, or appearance, without regard to the specific place these cuts are made.
- Tree Pruning: Tree pruning is the careful and selective removal of branches (or portions of branches) in an effort to support the tree’s health, structure, or safety.
Typically, homeowners and commercial property managers want their trees pruned rather than trimmed, as this helps to limit the health and decay problems trimming can cause. However, many use the term trimming because they’re not aware that the words technically mean different things.
Cutting Locations: The Big Difference Between Trimming and Pruning
One of the key differences between tree trimming and tree pruning relates to the locations in which the cuts are made.
Because things like a tree’s size, shape, and aesthetics are the focus of trimming work, the cuts are often made in somewhat arbitrary locations without consideration for the way the tree will respond. This often involves lots of something arborists call internodal cuts — cuts made between two nodes (the places where branches or twigs arise from larger branches).
Trees have a hard time closing wounds made in these places, which often allows decay to occur. These kinds of cuts also tend to trigger something called epicormic shoots (“watersprouts”) to emerge from the location near the cut. These kinds of branches are rarely well-attached to the branches, which creates safety issues down the line.
On the other hand, tree pruning keeps the tree’s health and structure at the forefront, so cuts are almost always made very close to a node. This gives the tree a better chance of sealing the wound and preventing decay from setting in. However, because cuts are limited to these locations, you can’t control the tree’s shape or aesthetics as precisely as trimming allows.
Should You Have Your Trees Trimmed or Pruned?
Deciding which tree-care service will work best in your situation can be tricky, which is part of the reason you need to partner with a team of professional arborists, like the experts at Treemendous Tree Care. We’ll help you decide which approach is most likely to generate the results you want.
With that said, you can ask yourself a few questions that’ll typically point you in the right direction:
- What is your primary goal? The answer to this question will almost always tell you which kind of tree service you need. If you simply want to change the shape, size, or appearance of the tree, trimming will work. But if you want to improve the tree’s health or safety, pruning is the better option.
- What kind of tree or shrub are you concerned about? In most cases, pruning is the better option for large or valuable trees, as it’ll help prevent decay problems. On the other hand, trimming often works well for shrubs, and it can be used for small trees in a few specific circumstances.
- How large is the tree or shrub? The larger a tree or shrub is, the more important it is to consider the potential safety implications of trimming it. Generally, the larger a tree or shrub is, the wiser it is to opt for pruning as opposed to trimming.
- Is the tree or shrub vulnerable to any pests or pathogens? If your tree or shrub is vulnerable to pests or diseases (such as ash trees or oaks, among others), you’ll want to have it pruned to provide it with the best chance of sealing the wounds.
Common Types of Tree Pruning
There are actually several different types of tree pruning techniques arborists can use. These different techniques seek to accomplish different goals, though they all involve making deliberate cuts, rather than haphazardly cutting the tree to achieve an arbitrary size or shape.
Crown Cleaning
Crown cleaning is one of the most common and important types of pruning. It primarily involves the selective removal of dead, dying, or diseased branches, as well as any that may exhibit poor structure. It is wise to have crown cleaning performed on all trees every three to five years.
Crown Thinning
Crown thinning is the selective removal of branches within a tree’s canopy to allow for more air, light, or rain to pass through. This is often necessary for trees that are struggling with fungal diseases caused by high humidity levels and poor airflow through the canopy. Crown thinning is usually carried out on an as-needed basis; many trees never need it.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction seeks to reduce the size of a tree’s crown. However, unlike trimming work, which places the cuts at arbitrary locations, crown reduction work entails very specific cut placement. This helps to reduce the size of a tree’s crown without putting it at as much risk of decay as tree trimming or “topping” (discussed below) does.
Crown Raising
Crown raising involves the removal of tree branches from the bottom portion of a tree’s canopy to provide better clearance or visibility. As with all pruning work, the branches are removed in a careful, deliberate fashion to help prevent decay from setting in.
Structural Pruning
Structural pruning is typically carried out on young trees with the goal of establishing a stable long-term structure. Most trees should be structurally pruned in the first several years of their life, but structural pruning may sometimes be warranted later on.
Common Types of Tree Trimming
In contrast to tree pruning, tree trimming is usually only performed in a couple of different ways.
“Topping”
Topping is the practice of reducing the height of a tree or shrub by cutting the central leader and other vertically oriented branches in the canopy. The cuts are usually made at an arbitrary height, often in between nodes. This usually triggers an abundance of epicormic shoots and leaves trees susceptible to pests and decay.
For these reasons, the topping of trees is generally frowned upon by professional arborists and discouraged. However, many shrubs will tolerate this kind of practice well.
Topiary
Topiary involves the artistic trimming of trees or shrubs so that they resemble geometric shapes, animals, or abstract art. It is more commonly applied to shrubs than trees, and some shrubs will tolerate this kind of trimming very well. However, it requires quite a bit of maintenance, so it becomes a long-term, ongoing investment.
Can Homeowners Trim or Prune Their Own Trees?
Because of the potential safety hazards involved with tree pruning, there aren’t many cases in which homeowners can safely prune trees.
For example, you should never use a ladder while pruning trees, nor should you use a standard chainsaw above shoulder level (you can, however, use a pole saw above your head height).
This means that the only branches you’ll even be able to reach are those that are within about 20 to 30 feet of the ground (depending on your height and the length of your pole saw). It also means that unless you have a commercial-grade pole saw, you realistically shouldn’t try to prune branches more than about 5 inches in diameter.
These criteria effectively rule out most pruning work for homeowners. However, homeowners can certainly carry out structural pruning for very small, newly planted trees. Just be sure that you locate the cuts properly and embrace the correct techniques.
Tree Trimming vs Tree Pruning: FAQ
Still have questions about tree trimming or tree pruning? We’ve rounded up a few of the most common questions we hear from our customers and answered them below.
Is pruning the same thing as trimming?
No, pruning and trimming are not the same thing, despite the fact that both terms are often used interchangeably. Pruning refers to the careful and deliberate removal of branches (or portions of branches) to improve a tree’s health, structure, or safety. On the other hand, trimming is primarily intended to change a tree’s size, shape, or aesthetics, and the cuts are not necessarily placed at locations that will allow the tree to seal the wounds.
Is it OK to trim trees in October?
It is typically not ideal to prune or trim trees in October, as this can cause problems with pests and disease. Instead, most trees should be trimmed or pruned during the dormant season, between November and March. However, if the tree is creating a hazard, off-season pruning may be required.
Should you paint or seal limbs after pruning?
Generally speaking, you should not paint or seal wounds after pruning. This is an antiquated practice, which is no longer recommended, except in a few specific cases. This is part of the reason that it is always preferable to contact a professional arborist for all of your tree-pruning needs.
How do you tell if a tree needs pruning?
There are a number of signs that may indicate a tree needs to be pruned, such as the presence of dead, dying, or diseased limbs or improper branch structure.
How often should trees be pruned?
Most trees should be pruned every three to five years, as well as anytime they suffer damage, experience pest or disease issues, or put your family’s safety at risk.
Trust Treemendous Tree Care for Your Tree Trimming and Pruning Needs!
If you need help having your trees trimmed or pruned, contact the professionals at Treemendous Tree Care. We’ll be happy to have one of our professional arborists visit your property and provide the professional tree-care services you need. We’ve been serving homeowners in the Southeast Michigan region since 2019, and we’d love the chance to take care of your trees.
Contact us today to get your free estimate or learn more!
