Pruning Mature Trees
Remember, every cut you make has the potential to change the entire growth pattern of your tree. So please make it count and make the right cuts. Your main priorities for doing this are to increase form and structure. Other reasons also include allowing light and air penetration in order to reduce stress bearing loads on your tree. In most cases, older trees are pruned from a corrective angle.
When not being pruned, they may grow in unmanageable ways. Since leaves are important nutrient or food factories for trees and you’ll be trimming the foliage, it’s important that you don’t get rid of too much. Doing so can cause serious harm if you cut away too much. However, if you trim away the right amount, the tree will naturally heal itself and you’ll make it’s defenses stronger in the event of heavy winds or severe weather.
Most pruning for older trees can be performed any time of the year. When we say “Routine,” we mean cutting away dead, diseased, dying, weak, or rubbing branches. As a rule of thumb we like to do much of our pruning before the spring growth season begins.