Hello,
I acquired some new property that has been neglected by previous owners and I am trying my best to fix. This pine has never been maintained, and I would like to cut the lower branches to free space. Can I cut all the branches below the red line in one session or are they too many to cut and I am putting the tree in danger? I really don't want to damage the tree.
Also, the allowed period to do this kind of work is from november to april, being january the coldest month. Is there a ideal moment to do it withing that period?
Thank you in advance!
by pljtnrd
3 Comments
what do you want to accomplish here? low dead branches on pines will break back on their own pretty quickly. In the meantime they give a little habitat, and there are needles so some are alive.
To be clear, removing these branches will not be in service to the tree’s health– it’s just for you, which is ok. Doing it in winter reduces chances of pathogens.
are you gonna clean up around the pine and plant something?
You’ll be fine removing those limbs, so long as you follow proper pruning procedure.
They likely won’t grow back.
I don’t recommend it.
Cutting off about two-thirds of a pine tree’s top causes severe stress that disrupts its natural growth. Pines don’t respond well to heavy (“topping” old terminology lol), leading to weak, rapid regrowth that’s prone to splitting, structural failure, and long-term health problems like disease and decay.
If you don’t like the natural growth habits of a conifer, it’s probably
better to remove it and replace it with a tree species whose growth and height you can more easily manipulate and control.