Let there be light!
Every June, when plants in the landscape flush out and look great, people start panicking about lack of light. But this season, with many people self-isolated at home because of the coronavirus, this panic seems more intense.
By far the number one tree request this spring is pruning to get more light. And most of the targets are Japanese maples.
How to prune
Trees need leaves to produce food and many branches have food stored in them so spring isn’t a great time to hammer your trees. Especially maple trees, they should be nicely pruned in winter, before Christmas.
So, to get more light shining through our trees, we have to take out bigger diameter branches. This opens up big enough gaps in the crown for people to notice the extra light.
One rule for Japanese maples states that you should be able to see through the trees. If you can’t, then clearly you have some work to do.
Always use a sharp saw and make nice, professional cuts at the branch collar so you don’t leave any ugly stubs. Stubs die anyway and could, potentially, let disease enter your tree. By cutting at the branch collar, the tree is able to cover the wound over time. It can’t accomplish this when the stub is in the way.
Hire Vas
If you’re pruning your tree at home, take your time. In commercial work, I don’t always have the luxury of time. I have to move because residents pile on their requests as I work.
Remember, the idea here is to remove a few selected larger diameter branches to put holes in your crown and allow more light to shine through. So make your decisions carefully.
If you’re still not sure and your pockets are deep, give Vas a call. Hiring ISA certified arborists is a good idea. Not that professional landscapers can’t do the job as well. Many can. But I wouldn’t trust just anyone with my trees. You’ve been warned.
One example
The maple below is a classic example. The owner lost light as the tree flushed out in spring. Now that she saw me pruning yews (Taxus) on the boulevard, she tracked me down crying about permanent darkness in her house.
I did the work but it was stressful because I also had to finish pruning the yews and move on to another site. It’s nice to have time for tree pruning.
The owner noticed the difference and thanked me. There are holes in the reduced crown now, which allows more light to reach the house. I don’t want to touch this tree again until winter.
Conclusion
Yes, you will get less light in your house as trees flush out in spring. If you decide to prune your trees, don’t over do it in spring. Select larger diameter branches and take them out so you make “holes” in the crown.
Hire professionals if you’re not sure how to do it.
