Heard a landscaper say "prune like you're drawing a line" - stuck with me

Was on a job in Richmond last Tuesday. Overheard a landscaper telling a new guy to "prune like you're drawing a clean line, not cutting randomly." Made me rethink my cuts. I started using that idea on a big oak. Focused on branch collar angles. Cut way cleaner, less stubs. Has anyone else got a weird mental trick for pruning cuts?

2 comments

2 Comments

henrys7417d ago

A buddy of mine, Tim, does landscaping down in Chesterfield. He told me he uses the "two pencil trick" where he holds a pencil in each hand and lines them up with the branch and the trunk before he cuts. Said it helps him see the angle better and stops him from hacking off a branch flush with the bark. Swears it saved a bunch of old dogwoods on a property he worked last spring. I tried it myself on a maple once and it kept me from cutting too deep into the trunk collar. Never heard anyone else mention that one but it stuck with me.

clairem3817d ago

Yeah that line thing works, I always aim for a smooth flow from branch to trunk now.