Just wondering?

[RGus]

I am currently a student, and I am trying to learn as much about the industry as I can before I get out in the "Real World", which is coming up very shortly in May. But anyways to my query.

I have been taught that there are two times of the year that are the worst to prune trees. One is during bud swelling, breakage, and when the leaves are developing. And the other time is right before leaf drop. The reasoning, as I understood it, was because this is when the tree has the least amount of energy in reserves, becasue it has allocated them elsewhere. I dont think pruning a tree during this time would kill it, but greatly hinder its health.

So my question is, what do you do in your company during these times of the year? Do you not worry about this and continue pruning, or do you do during this time of year? Or maybe take a nice vacation!?

This was just a thought that I had in my head for the last couple of days and thought, who better to ask then Treebuzz.

Thanks

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Time to run out one of my favorite Shigo-isms, "It's all about doseage."

If I was faced with a major whole-tree trim I would suggest to my clients to hold off on the work. And, on the next lower level, if I had to do major pruning on a large limb, I would try to postpone. If the tree is trying to save energy why force it to spend it in an endeavor that is a bad investment.

If we were going to do deadwooding and minor touch-ups I never worried about the consequences. With the new ideals for pruning this is pretty easy to incorporate into selling treework. There were times when I would postpone even small pruning jobs.

There always seemed to be other work to do during these times. Shrubs or takedowns.

 

[XylemZorro]

I always explain any kind of reprecusion? to my customers, but most of the time they don't care...

 

[Treespotter]

That's were your expert opinion needs to weigh more than the customers whishes. It's your way or another treeschmack can do the job. Don't ever let a customer tel you wat to do at wat time /forum/images/graemlins/afightee.gif if you don't think it is the best way or the right time to do it. It's not only your ass that gets the [censored] but it reflects also on other arborists.

 

[Treespotter]

Sorry guys,

Next time I'll mind my language, it's just that it's not that bad language in Dutch. /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[flying_kiwiman]

please excuse my collegue.... it must my kiwi slang influence that gives him a dirty mouth /forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

just to come back to the point, it sounds like to me that you have done your home work on the best time to prune. keep up the good work!!

we need more people like you who think about these things first, before thinking about which saw do i use..... /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

take care Jelte

 

[ezekiel]

what about pruning bleeders during spring sap rise? I try to wait until summer or winter for these trees, but I came across a competing bidder who said "prune when your saw is sharp"!. even though I need the work (read $$) I can not prune at a time when the cut will cause a loss of energy. What do you think?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Hi!

How are things in Tree City?

The starch/sugar content of sap is pretty low. Especially after the first run. To do the best job it's a good idea to wait until the sap is done running. The sap starts to flow at about the same time as the buds are popping so you're in the same time-frame.

When I'm faced with 'prune when the saw is sharp' and I want to make a sale, I start to explain to clients the value of saving the tree's energy by waiting until a better time to prune. By doing 'the best' for the trees I was able to start pushing my prices up a little. Sell value not cost to the client.

There were times that I would not prune during sap flow no matter what. If there were maples or birch over the driveway, deck or house I was always worried about getting stuck with a paint job from the sap dripping. This was another way to sell a professional job to clients. If I was the only one who pointed this out, I generally got the job. And most times I was the only one