- Zavelbergstraat 35
- 3090 Overijse
Tree pruning
Why prune?
Pruning is
rarely necessary
for the tree itself.
It is usually done for the benefit of people. Along roads, trees are pruned for traffic flow and safety: street trees are raised from a young age to allow passage for cars and cyclists.
In some cases, pruning is important for the tree itself. For example, to remove a broken branch or to correct faults in the crown, such as after storm damage or disease.
Tree pruning
Formative pruning
The ideal end form of a tree sometimes requires a clear trunk, free of branches, for aesthetic or safety reasons - such as for street and avenue trees. Formative pruning creates a straight, fault-free trunk and a well-balanced crown. The lowest branches and any problem branches are removed progressively, which manages the process and significantly reduces the amount of pruning required in later years. Some trees do not need a clear trunk - for example, a solitary park tree that is allowed to develop its natural form. Where no clear trunk is required, formative pruning is not necessary.
Maintenance pruning
Pruning to keep the permanent crown to a minimum is the exception, not the rule. Problem branches that pose a threat to the tree itself or its surroundings can be removed. Once the required clear trunk height is reached, the amount of pruning work decreases significantly and only occasional intervention is needed.
Restoration pruning
Branches can be damaged in many ways: by a storm, ice, vandalism, collision and more. Where needed, a temporary imbalance can be maintained by removing more branches on the street side. This avoids excessive pruning all at once, while still achieving the required clearance height as quickly as possible. Balance is then restored at subsequent pruning sessions.
Topping or pollarding, only in exceptional cases
Trees are often topped or have all scaffold branches severely cut back because they have become ‘too large’, cast too much shade or shed too many leaves - or because they are in the way, or sometimes for no clear reason at all. It is a controversial practice because it mutilates and weakens the tree. That the tree continues to grow is seen by many as proof it cannot be so harmful - yet when that same tree breaks apart and causes damage years later, no one thinks back to the ‘pruning’ that was done.