If you have a white pine tree on your property that you wish to keep in the best possible health, trimming it yearly is a necessity. With proper pruning techniques, a white pine tree will retain its cone shape and may be used as a holiday tree if you choose. Here are tips to keep your white pine looking and feeling its best.
Be Aware Of The Age Of The Tree And The Time Of The Year
White pine trees require trimming when they are younger in age. A white pine that is over a couple of decades old will no longer need constant maintenance and will pretty much have an established shape in place because of previous cuttings. White pine trees under a year or two old also do not yet need trimming to be conducted. If you are unsure about the tree's age, consider contacting a tree trimming service to assess the tree and perform pruning for you. Hold off on conducting any trimming during the summertime months. A white pine tree becomes dormant during the late fall and remains this way until early spring. This is the best time for trimming so the tree does not go into shock from the process.
Use The Right Tools For The Job
When you cut branches from a white pine tree, you need the proper tools to perform clean cuts for optimal tree health. This includes hand pruners for the smaller branches and lopper shears to handle the larger ones. Before you use a cutting tool, clean the blade using a clean piece of cloth and a bit of rubbing alcohol. This removes any debris from previous cuts, helping to keep diseases from being spread to your white pine when you trim it.
Start At The Bottom And Work Your Way Up
The bottom portion of white pine trees can be removed as it causes fungus if it is left in place. Most white pines will automatically drop the lowest tier of branches on their own as they grow. If there are branches without needles on the tree, remove them by cutting them close to the main trunk, leaving about a half to a full inch of the branch in place. Cutting too close to the truck can cause distress to the tree. Work your way up, removing branches that are thin, diseased, or not properly shaped. Visualize the shape you desire as you remove branches, keeping in mind that the growth should be symmetrical.
Call a tree trimming service if you need help maintaining your tree.
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