The Rural Voice, 2001-01, Page 49Specialist of Listowel. High winds
can cause severe damage to trees,
says Smith, and a dense border will
help to keep wind damage to a
minimum. That is the reason he
recommends planting around a
woodlot a border of trees such as
white spruce that have dense foliage
and do not lose their branches even if
they are shaded.
Pruning has to be done properly or
it will do more harm than good. Most
important is to make the pruning cut
just outside the branch collar, being
very careful not to damage it. The
branch collar is the raised part where
the branch joins the tree. Unlike in a
human body, a tree wound does not
heal. The tree grows a callus over the
wound, trapping inside any diseased
particles that might attack the tree.
If the collar is damaged by a saw
cut or by being flattened by pruning
shears, it takes much longer for the
wound to close and more diseases
and insects can get in. The diseases
create rot, which attracts insects,
which spread the diseases further
inside the tree. Fortunately, trees
have defense mechanisms that help to
fight infection and keep it from
spreading. But there is a limit to what
they can do and if the wound is large
a long time is required for a callus to
grow over it.
Almost as important is to avoid
leaving a stub when a branch is cut
off. If a stub is left, the branch collar
starts to grow the callus outward.
Pruning
Guidelines
• Prune only crop trees.
• Pruning does least damage if
done in the winter months.
• White pines and black walnuts
generally benefit substantially
from pruning.
• Other hardwoods, if not shaded,
will also increase in value if
pruned.
• Do not prune trees at the edges
of the woodlot.
• Avoid damaging the branch
collars.
• Do not leave branch stubs.
• Do not paint the pruning
wounds.
Andrew Grindlay
away from the tree, eventually
covering the stub unless it rots away
first. Enclosed branch stubs create
long knots inside the tree, just as if
the branch had not been cut off at all.
Foresters recommend that no more
than one third of the crown — the
leaf -growing area — be removed in
any one year. The tree gets its energy
from the leaves and needs a large leaf
area to create enough energy by
photosynthesis to grow. And, they
say, branches more than 2" in
diameter should not be pruned
because doing so creates a wound
that takes too long to grow over.
To avoid tearing the bark below a
live branch, first make a shallow cut
on the underside of the branch about
an inch out from the tree. A second
cut, this one from above, should be
Deadline for the
February issue of
The Rural Voice
is January 17
made about a foot away from the tree,
removing the branch entirely. A final
cut should take away the stub, right
next to the collar, but not damaging
it.
There is no need to paint the
wounds with anything. Painting has
not been shown to help to close the
wound or to keep out diseases. But
pruning white pine and black walnut
crop trees to create knot -free logs can
have an enormous payoff with
today's record -high log prices.°
Andrew Grindlav Farms 100 acres of
trees in Huron Countv.
WINGHAM
FORESTRY SERVICE
R.R. #1, Wingham
Ontario NOG 2W0
TREE MARKING FOR TIMBER
SALES OR FUEL WOOD
CALL (519) 335-6768
MURRAY HALL -
FORESTRY TECHNICIAN
JuARY AND FEBRUARY
CLEARANCE OF USED INVENTORY
BEHLEN BERG
SUKUP BROCK GSI
JADVENT RAD SPI
ALL SIZE FLOORS
Feeding Systems, Stable Supplies,
Great Selection of Used Inventory,
Winter Discounts on Bins & Floors
faI�'I1j We look forward to seeing you at the
equipment Toronto Farm Equipment Show
snow Hall 2 Booth #2513 Feb. 6-9
John Baak Construction Ltd.
R.R. 1 Hanover, ON N4N 3B8
Phone: 369-5478 Fax: 369-9906
E-mail: JohnBaakConstruction@sympatico.ca
Also: Barn Renovations, Stabling & much more
JANUARY 2001 45