Home About edenarb Contracting Contact Details - Tree Basics Leaves Branches & Trunk Root Systems Health CODIT Leaves Trunk & Branches Root System Structural Care Tools Hand Power Safety Pruning Formative Small Branch Large Branch Advanced Selection Planting Identification Native UK Trees Environment Legislation Photo Gallery EDENARB Trees Miscellaneous Credits Links   Larger Branch Removal   With all pruning, a correct cut will allow CODIT boundaries to form, resisting the spread of infection. Always ensure your saw is sharp so cuts can be completed in a clean and accurate manner.   Note: It used to be best practice to apply a wound sealant when limbs were removed from trees. It has now been proved that this can in fact be detrimental to the tree and therefore wound sealants should not be applied.   Step Cut   The first part of branch removal is to complete what is called a step cut beyond the point of the final finish cut. The purpose of this cut is to:   Prevent the branch from tearing down the leader Enable the finish cut to be made more easily Enable the finish cut to be made more accurately   Some people may believe that it is only necessary to make stub cuts when branches get over a given size but I tend to disagree, especially if people are not working with trees day in day out. It only takes one tear to potentially harm a tree. For the sake of two extra cuts is it really worth the risk?     The first cut (1) is made at approximately one or two branch diameters from the final cut on the compression side of the branch, cutting approximately 25º-30º through the branch. The second cut (2) is made from the tension side of the branch. The branch will sever when the second cut overlaps the first. Multiple step cuts can be used to shorten awkward/long branches before performing a finish cut.   You will notice that I have used the terms tension and compression as opposed to top and bottom. In most cases there will be no difference but if a branch is being put under tension from another tree, branch, wall, etc then this can alter the tension and compression. If you cut a branch with sideways tension and compression as if to fall vertically then your saw would bind or even get trapped. Always check that your final cut will be made from tension to compression. If there is a lot of sideways tension acting on the branch you may find it useful to make the first cut as a ‘v’ shaped notch, this will allow the branch to pivot as a hinge when you make the second cut allowing it to be guided, if necessary, and preventing any risk of it springing out.   Finish Cuts   Once the step cut has been completed we can move on to the finish cut which must always be accurate and never remove the collar or branch bark ridge……   Simple branch removal (target pruning)   Visible collar/branch bark ridge – The correct cut sequence is 1 and 2 (step cut) then 3 (finish cut). The finish cut is normally made from X to Y but this may need to be reversed (applies to all cuts). Y.     No visible collar/branch bark ridge – Cut sequence 1–3. The final cut angle (B) should be equal to or greater than that of the bark ridge (A).     Codominant stem removal – Cut sequence 1-3. Use the bottom of the bark ridge (X) to gauge where the finish cut should finish (Y)     Leader removal – Cut sequence 1-3. The branch remaining (B) should be at least one third the diameter of the removed leader (A) and preferably at an angle of less that 30º (C).