Q.
I have a 20-year-old African sumac nearly 30 feet tall which provides great
shade in my backyard. It needs another pruning when it cools off. I did a major
cutback last fall at the request of my neighbor because of leaf drop. Any
suggestions on how best to do so and keep the shade and cooler temperatures it
provides?
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| Drop crotching an African Sumac that is too tall will save water. |
A.
Two things you need to know if you are doing this yourself; drop crotching and
how to do a 1-2-3 pruning cut.
Stand away from the tree so that you can
see all of it. Identify the limbs giving you the problems. Trace the limbs back
to a lower crotch. A crotch is where at least two limbs come together. This is
where the pruning cuts and lowering will be done.
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| In a 1-2-3 cut the first cut is made 12 inches from the tree trunk and upward to prevent a large limb from pulling the bark from the trunk |
Make a 1-2-3 Pruning Cut
During cooler weather remove the limbs
that are offensive. Use a 1-2-3 cut to avoid stripping the bark from the tree.
A 1-2-3 cut is done first by making an undercut six inches from a limb to
about 1/3 of its diameter.
The second cut is made outside of the
first cut. Attached bark may strip down to the undercut, or first cut, so the
falling limb will not tear the remaining limb and tree trunk. This is why the
undercut is made first. A third cut is used to finally remove the remaining
stub. It is a finished cut. The third cut is the smallest cut made that removes
most of the stub remaining so the cut heals faster.
If you have never done it, for safety reasons
and a better-looking tree, hire a certified Arborist to make these pruning cuts
so that it will make the tree smaller and keep it beautiful. Part of your
payment is for decisions that result in a prettier tree than you could have
done.