Is it possible to prune birch branches in autumn? When and how to prune birch trees

Why is it necessary to trim the birch trees?

The development of the crown of birch, depending on the place of growth, can differ greatly from each other. For example, if you take a birch grove, then all the trees grow, stretching toward the sky with a predominance of crown, only in the upper part of the trunk. Such trees have thin and long branches directed upwards and shakes them like palm trees with a strong wind. Thus, when discharging the site, it is worth considering the windage and pruning the trees in the complex in order to exclude the fall of trees.

And if the tree grows on the site freely, then all the growth force and children are in the branch. And after 50 years we will have a tree of medium height, but with a highly developed crown. As for urban conditions, in the distant Soviet years, all trees were planted randomly in order to quickly green the gray streets of cities. Having a great age and developing in a bad environment, the crown needs annual sanitary and molding pruning to ensure the safety of citizens. So here are the main reasons for working with the crown of birch:

How to trim the birch in the area?

Let's immediately determine that this tree species is very negative about pruning in adulthood. For the correct formation of the crown of the tree, the age of the birch should not exceed 15 years. As they say they need to be taught from a young age. But if you already have a mature tree on the site, then here's what you can do:

The tree does not tolerate deep pruning, under any circumstances (it dies immediately). Trees with trimmed tops on average cost no more than 10 years. The whole problem, in the structure of wood, which absorbs moisture and begins to whirl and collapse, there the processes go from the center to the bark. People who order such services most likely want to get rid of the tree at a lower cost.

Pruning of trees on the site occurs mainly by climbers (arborists) in parts by the rope method. This allows you to accurately work with the barrel, minimizes damage to the bark. Upon arrival, our specialists will give advice and suggest how to minimize interference during trimming and prolong life.

Is it worth discussing how good a birch is? The general opinion will be unambiguous. But it also happens that the owners of the sites are not at all pleased with the white-trunk trees that grew near the house, in the garden or the vegetable garden. They can be understood. This is the fragility of the trunk in a hurricane wind. Mature trees obscure the area. Often in the crown of a fast-growing tree are wires. Birch works as a powerful pump draining the soil. In some cases, it pleases, in others, there is a need to moisten the soil. Many troubles can be avoided if you pick up a pruner and start to form a seedling, and in return get strong low trees and garden bonsai. Then birches, the height of which will be constantly under control, will help to drain damp places, and garden bonsai will become a decoration of the site.

Near the birch ferns look beautiful

Where to get a birch?

Any birch is perfectly formed. Sapling can be purchased at the garden center or nursery. Easier to dig in the wasteland. If you take a walk along the sprawling ditches and embankments, you will have more chances to find a tree with a curiously curved trunk.

There are a lot of birches in the forest. Especially in the undergrowth, which is fully or partially removed during sanitary cutting. But a trip to the forest near Moscow with a shovel in his hands can end in serious trouble. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the Forest Code before heading into the forest for planting material for your site.

Think of the Forest Code when setting off into the forest for planting material

We rarely think about the diversity of birches in our area. I realized this when I formed another tree, found on the site of an old estate near Moscow. There was nothing left except an ancient birch with rather large velvety leaves. Around there were many of its seedlings of different ages. I dug up one of them and planted on our site.

What forms does nature not create. The hidden beauty of Karelian birches and the luxury of their wood. Trees bent by the wind, which have to survive in the harsh North. Trees grow on Onega and Ladoga lakes, whose roots manage to squeeze into the cracks of stone monoliths.

What forms does nature not create!

Choose the shape of the trunk and crown

Birch trees can be formed in a variety of ways. There are grafted trees with a weeping crown, which can be purchased at garden centers. I prefer to create beauty with my own hands. With secateurs and clippers in hand. I do not use bending and garter branches.

"Umbrella" has grown, it's time to fix the crown with sharp garden shears

First, take a closer look at the seedling. Determine its purpose. If there are no ideas, form a crown in the shape of an umbrella or a ball. Birch trees with crooked trunks are more suitable for garden bonsai. But it will take a long time to work on the skeleton - the basis of bonsai.

The basis of a garden bonsai is its backbone

At one birch, I had to leave a stump just below two meters high and not allow the crown to expand and grow up. I need this tree in order to drain the far corner of the site where the drainage groove ends. There are containers with humus, a barrel for irrigation and a greenhouse that I would not want to obscure.

Take a look at the huge birches, growing "heaps." They do not interfere with each other if they have enough light. Low trees planted in a row can also peacefully coexist. Feel free to create hedges and screens from birches. Just do not forget to cut them, giving the desired shape. I made a narrow birch screen up to two meters long.

I want to draw attention to the fact that pruning not only limits the size of the tree, but also inhibits its growth, strengthens the skeleton.

Wires are stretched over this birch, so limiting the growth of a tree is so important

Two pines and two birches of the same age grow on our site. This is hard to believe if we compare the dimensions of those trees that were allowed to grow freely, and those that were regularly pruned.

Saw and secateurs banned

All our birches easily tolerate pruning. Unless it is carried out in the spring until the leaves completely bloom. During sap flow, the birch should not be touched: it will not cry, but cry. It is during this period that birch sap is harvested from adult trees.

No need to form a crown in late autumn. There should be a margin of time for the wounds to dry.

I never do pruning in rainy weather. I cover large wounds with paint on drying oil or with pharmaceutical greens. Small ones in dry weather drag themselves.

Adult (especially old) birches do not tolerate trimming of the trunk. Our huge birch tree, which has grown from a seedling, is no exception. We made a mistake: let the tree grow and only after that we thought about the consequences. Now you have to put a high folding ladder to the trunk and shorten all the thick branches that have grown on the crown.

The mutilated crown of an adult tree is less visible in summer

It is better to limit the birch in growth from a young age. Then the ugly “stump” does not appear on the top of the head. And the tree itself will be healthier. This does not apply to those birches, which it was decided not to limit in growth.

Winter beauty

In winter, birches always attract attention, especially those formed

In winter, we see only the "skeleton" of birches. It is at this time of the year that the bizarre bends of garden bonsai attract attention. True, all the flaws are more noticeable than in the summer under foliage.

Birch is the most common tree in middle lane   Of Russia. White-barrel trees with openwork crown are often used for landscaping and decorative planting. The unpretentious species found in our forests and cities, (warty and dangling birch), many residents of Moscow and Moscow region are happy to plant on their sites. There are many decorative types. Some believe that pruning does not require birch. In some cases, this is true, but often not only the decorative properties of a tree, but also its health depend on proper pruning.

Tree pruning is used for various purposes. To form a crown. As a rule, a beautiful openwork crown of many species of this tree and so many suits its shape. In this case, it is necessary to correct it in cases where it interferes with the growth of other trees, obscures the lawn or windows of the house, etc. Weeping species can form a beautiful umbrella-shaped crown using the candelabra pruning method of birch. At the same time, experts know that it is necessary to avoid removing more than 25% of the crown - this can damage the tree.

For rejuvenation. When birch trees age and almost cease to give growth to new shoots, you can begin to conduct anti-aging pruning to stimulate the formation of new branches and restore the decorative appearance of the tree. Such processing is carried out from October to April, when there is no sap flow, and should last for 2-3 years, starting from the top of the tree and large skeletal branches. The degree of pruning depends on the age and condition of the tree; the greater the age, the lower the percentage of branches that can be cut.

Birch does not tolerate pruning - that’s why it is better to entrust this type of work to professionals who are familiar with the features of tree growth and development, crown formation and the best safe ways. Specialists of the Sovereign landscape design studio will be able to decide whether the tree needs processing and how to perform it without damaging it. Competent formation of the crown, taking into account the wishes of the owner of the plantings, will help make professionals. Our employees are familiar not only with all the subtleties of landscape design, but also understand the biological characteristics of each type of tree. Thanks to this, they can do the most complex work on the formation of the decorative appeal of a tree, which perfectly fits into the overall design of the site.

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The main objectives of sanitary pruning of trees:

removal of dry wood parts for safety   - dry branches can collapse under the influence of the wind, causing damage to communications, cars, buildings, people;

removal of diseased branches for sanitary purposes   - diseased branches are sources of various diseases, their timely elimination will help maintain the health of the tree and extend its life cycle.

Sanitary, anti-aging and decorative trimming of trees

Photo 2. Trimming with climbing equipment.

Sanitary pruning of trees –   This is a seasonal event held by skilled arborists or industrial climbers specializing in tree care.

Sanitary, anti-aging or decorative pruning of trees is carried out using special climbing equipment, (Photo 2).

Cut branches or parts of trees can be thrown down or, in the absence of such a possibility, suspended on ropes and lowered down to the designated area for them. In the latter case, the rope is passed through a special block attached to the top of the tree on which work is being carried out, or on neighboring trees.

One end of the rope is tied to a branch to be sawn, the other is fixed in the trigger device, which is controlled by the arborist's assistant, he descends the branches to the designated place. Sawdust of trees is done with a hacksaw or chainsaw.

The cost of sanitary pruning - removal of dry branches

Work conditions:

there should be enough live branches on the tree to raise the arborist.

Brief technology of work:

the arborist climbs a tree along living branches;

performs the removal of dry branches and drops them down, or in the absence of the possibility of dropping them, fixes them on the branches of the rope, removes them and then the assistant arborist descends to the designated place;

branches are cut into pieces.

The price includes sawing a tree into parts 1 m long and storing them at a distance of no more than 50 m.

If you need to remove branches from neighboring trees or shoot the rope with a slingshot, the price can be increased.

Loading of cutting residues into a container, their removal and cleaning of the territory is paid extra.

After pruning the trees, the places where the branches are cut have a rough surface, it is recommended to smooth them with a sharp knife. Wounds heal faster, the smoother their surface.

The most recent findings of research on the need for staining tree wounds suggest that it is not only not obligatorybut may even contribute to rotting. At the request of the homeowner, you can make a light coating of large wounds with mineral paint for the sake of appearance or treat it with a solution of copper sulfate, but severe wounds are not recommended.

Decorative and anti-aging pruning is performed to solve the following problems:

improving the aesthetic appearance of the tree. The crowns of the trees are given the desired shape, taking into account the type of tree, close to natural or decorative;

improving the illumination of the surrounding area. The crown volume of the tree is reduced to facilitate light penetration and provide necessary conditions   ambient lighting;

stimulation of tree growth. By reducing the volume of the crown, the windiness is reduced and the survival rate of the tree (coarser) is increased after transplantation.

The cost of decorative, anti-aging pruning - reservation

The minimum order value is 5,000 rubles.

Sanitary pruning: strategy and tactics. When is it necessary and how to avoidharm pruning

Each tree forms different buds on its shoot. Among them are sleeping kidneysthat are provided by nature to restore the plant in case of damage.

Photo 3. Shoots of blue spruce.

In the middle of the shoot   The most developed buds are located, which provide growth in the next season.

Buds at the top of the shoot, with the exception of its central part (trunk), less mature and resistant to external influences.

If pruning is not used, then, due to apical dominance, the best growth conditions will be in the buds located at the very top of the shoot (Photo 3).

Only if the apical kidneys are damaged or removed, the active development of the kidneys located in the middle part of the shoot will begin.

Artificially creating such conditions, you can get an actively growing tree with a good crown.

The task of the arborist - to get a good annual gain - is not too big and not too small.

Some trees grow splendidly without pruning, and even poorly when applied. They are characterized by apical growth of buds at the ends of shoots.

Photo 4. Magnolia grows splendidly and without pruning.

Classical examples of such trees are pine or ash, hazelnut or walnut, magnolia (Photo 4). Many plants, such as spruce, fir, larch, naturally form a beautiful crown and do not require pruning. Can be applied to them sanitary pruning to remove individual branches "in the ring" (thinning), allowing slight shortening of small side branches.

All trees need to be sanitized at different frequencies.

Their genes have the ability to continue growing and restore the crown to the side branches - as, for example, in linden, birch or apple tree.

There are also quite a lot of shrubs that do not require pruning - these are daphne, rhododendron, euonymus, henomeles. But some of them - irga, acacia, cotoneaster, are also suitable for creating a persistent truncated form.

All types of pruning can be applied to these trees. However, these trees are prone to thickening and require shaping and thinning. Indeed, in these trees it is difficult to achieve a good central trunk and good skeletal branches.

There is also transition group, which changes the type of growth with age. Trees with a mixed type of branching - oak, maple. They need regular shaping   in the first years of their development to get a beautiful crown.

Shrubs are easily divided into two groups - consistent, good and slow growing   and fast aging. It is clear that the former only needs sanitary pruning, and the latter requires regular updates. Such shrubs as euonymus, cotoneaster, witch hazel, snow berry due to the uniform growth along the entire perimeter of the crown form strong beautiful bushes.

Photo 5. Rosehip needs regular updating of the crown.

Fast growing shrubs, especially with early flowering shoots, need regular updating of the crown, that is, the systematic removal of old branches to the level of new shoots or their complete removal and the need to leave several shoots to replace, but not to seal the bush. The dogrose (Photo 5) and currant are most clearly presented about this group.

Plants that need annual pruning to hardwood to form long shoots or good full-color foliage are white deer, highlander, walnut, elderberry, willow (Photo 6).

It is also necessary to understand at what age stage a tree or shrub is located.

At an early age, the main task is to create volume and spatially develop the plant. Trimming only corrects crown formation errors.

Photo 6. For the formation of long shoots of willow annual pruning is necessary.

First of all, only a well-rooted plant can be cut.   The same is true for pruning with the goal of "reversing growth" when you need to get a strong dominant shoot on the trunk.

Secondly, according to the principle of apical dominance, equal shoots are formed from buds located at the same height.   And in the general case, the smaller the distance from the root to the kidney, the more strong the growth will be.

The paradox consists in combining the proportional balance of the crown and several trimmings in order to stimulate the development of shoots of the asymmetric crown.

Thus, it is necessary to apply a strong shortening to the underdeveloped side of the tree, to the other, for balance, more rare.

Timelines for pruning shoots

Choice of cutting time   can stimulate vegetative growth (spring) or adjust the age of the branches   and identify shoots and flower buds (summer). Usually pruning in early spring, in March-April. This is clearly applicable to fruit trees, but not quite to a number of decorative ones.

Photo 7. Pruning during foliage development is suitable for weeping birch.

Spring is a good time for sanitary pruning when structural branches are well defined. Pruning in late winter or early spring is the borderline time between frosts and the onset of kidney formation. It stimulates strong shoot growth, coinciding with the natural rhythm of the plant.

Pruning in early summer, during the development of shoots, pursues several goals. Carrying out such operations in spring during the end of active sap flow (foliage development) is suitable for climbing plants and weeping trees (birch (Photo 7), maple, walnut and hazelnut, cherry, mulberry, etc.)

Spring pruning   during flowering, it is widely used after its completion, which stimulates the growth of shoots and flower buds. It is suitable for foresight and decorative plum. Summer pruning prevents vegetation. It can be actively used for the selective removal of single branches until August. Summer is the time for "green operations" with shoots (pinching, etc.).

Photo 8. Lilac requires the use of light pruning in spring.

Remember that the more often you process an actively growing plant with garden shears, the less the total amount of work. Plants that start vegetation very early, such as honeysuckle, currants and nuts, are best trimmed in the fall.

For flowering plants, pruning is especially important.

Shrubs blooming on last year's growth, such as lilacs (Photo 8) and action, require cutting off the shrunken shoots in the summer and easy maintenance using pruning in the spring.

Shrubs blooming with sprouts of the current yearsuch as hydrangea, spirea and tamarisk are thoroughly pruned in the spring to enhance the growth of young shoots and large flowers.

The most romantic group of plants is spring flowering trees and bushes. As a rule, they are pruned after flowering, removing dried out shoots for better growth of new ones. If you cut the forsythia or spirea in early spring, then you can cut off all future flowers. The same applies to the now decorative plum, almond, cherry. In the summer after flowering, action, exochorda, stefanander are cut off.

Special plant groups

First   includes leafy birch, maple, walnut, chestnut, poplar, mulberry, grapes. In such plant species, strong sap flow from the cutoff site can be observed, and such operations are best performed after the leaves have opened in spring or summer. Early spring pruning is harmful to them. Most often, the cuts only lead to drying out and the wrong location of the shoots.

Such a group of plants as climbingcut off in the early summer. It is necessary to wait until the frosts pass and the leaves bloom and then cut the creeping shoots to the base. Summer pruning and pruning in late autumn may also be applicable to these plants. Fruit climbers require extensive and accurate pruning.

Photo 9. Canadian spruce requires only light sanitary pruning.

Transplanted weeping plants   They require special pruning techniques, mainly for willows. After flowering, they need to be strongly cut horizontally in the shape of an umbrella, otherwise next year the flowering will be located mainly on the ground.

In a separate group allocate coniferous treestrimmable. There are several types that need to be trimmed. This is yew, thuja, juniper and Canadian spruce (Photo9). During growth, these plants require only light sanitary pruning. It is possible to control the shape of the crown by diving during the growth of young shoots.

In this case, soft, juicy shoots that are bent and easily broken do not cut off at the growing top. Particular care should be taken with the main shoot - the top. It should be protected from damage: the lateral shoots are difficult to vertically shape and if the main shoot is damaged, the cylindrical vertical shape of the plant will be lost.

With an excess of nutrients and water at the top, two leading growths can also develop. One of them needs to be removed as soon as possible.

Plant Correction and Correction Methods

The result of the formation of a poor tree structure will be the breaking of large branches. Such damage is very dangerous. When they occur, it is necessary to cut off the damaged part of the branch and treat the wound, remove torn wood and bark.

To prevent such fractures in the early years of growth of young seedlings, it is necessary to prevent the formation of skeletal branches with an acute angle of deviation.

Over time, the bark of such branches will be under pressure in the upper part and will begin to die out, this process will be accompanied by the appearance of cracks, so it is better to remove such branches immediately. Such shoots appear on the main shoot and compete with it. They, as a rule, are slightly behind in growth in comparison with the leading shoot, but sometimes they can even surpass it.

It is very important to leave only one main escape in the first season of the appearance of competing ones. On old trees, such breaks can be prevented only by reinforcing dangerous places with guy lines, tying the branches together into a single structure or lightening the crown with anti-aging pruning.

You must admit that often many important decorative features of a birch and its healthy state directly depend on the correct pruning of a tree.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that trees are pruned for various purposes. In particular, with the aim of developing the crown. Of course, many of us are already satisfied with the spectacular lace crown of birch. Therefore, trimming of birch is done only in special cases, in particular, if shading of the lawn occurs or birch interferes with the development of other trees. Personally, I would recommend using the weeping method of candelabra trimming for birch, which will ensure the formation of a beautiful crown. Do not forget that it is necessary to remove no more than 25% of the crown during tree pruning in order to avoid damage to the birch.

Now let's talk about sanitation. It should be noted that the removal of diseased, dry and interwoven branches has a beneficial effect on the further development of the tree. I would recommend that such operations be carried out in early spring before the release of juice. If a tree is sick, then so-called “witch brooms” can often be observed on it. They are a cluster of thin shoots formed with the help of various pests, fungi and viruses on the main branches or trunk. At a great distance, it resembles a crow's nest. This cluster should be immediately cut to prevent further infection. In no case is it worth trimming birch trees in the summer, as this is the season of activity of goldfish, which are pests of trees. If nevertheless there is a need for this, it is recommended to treat the places of the slices with an insecticide. In general, sanitization should be carried out at least 1-2 times a year.

As for rejuvenation, here pruning of birch is often carried out in order to resume the growth of new branches and regenerate the decorative appearance of the tree. Such manipulation is usually carried out from October to April, when there is no movement of juice. I would recommend that you spend it for 2-3 years, while starting from the top of the tree and large main branches. It is necessary to take into account the dependence of the trim value on the age and condition of the birch. Accordingly, with increasing age, the percentage of cut branches decreases.

Do not forget that pruning is a very painful process for birch. Therefore, I would recommend entrusting such an operation to professionals who are knowledgeable about the characteristics of the development and growth of the tree. Such people usually know the best and best way to trim. They will certainly take into account all your wishes and ensure the correct formation of tree crowns.