Correct tree pruning is an essential practice for the trees and shrubs of your landscape.
Pruning, although often misunderstood, is not difficult to do once when you learn the basics.
Why Prune
The main reasons for tree pruning are safety, health, and aesthetics.
Pruning for safety entails removing suspect limbs or branches that could fall and cause injury or property damage, trimming branches that interfere with lines of sight, and removing branches that grow into utility lines.
Pruning for health involves removing diseased and/or infected wood, thinning the crown to increase airflow and reduce some pest problems, and removing rubbing and crossing branches. Pruning can best be used to encourage trees to develop a strong structure and reduce the likelihood of damage during severe weather. And removing damaged limbs encourages wound closure.
Pruning for aesthetics is the practice of enhancing the natural form and character of trees or stimulating flower production.
In short, pruning is necessary to maintain a healthy, vigorous tree.