Tree Pruning Workshop

People with apple trees in their yard looking to get a tree load of apples got some hands on training last weekend. The Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment put on the workshop held behind the Headstart building in Hogansburg. Despite the snow and cold, the warm weather is just around the corner which made for ideal conditions to get your trees into shape.

Craig Arquette and Dave Arquette of the A.T.F.E. put on the clinic and they gave valuable tips to the group.

The main reason for trimming branches is to get rid of dead branches and to open up the healthy ones for air and light to pass through. There are a few reasons to cut a specific branch off and someone should not be concerned if they go overboard with their saw. Craig Arquette said it's ok for now to overdo it but don't make a yearly habit of it.

"If you make a bad cut it will not hurt the tree, but in a few years it will put stress on the tree," he said.

At the tree trimming clinic the students were told to pour alcohol on their cutting blades to prevent more disease from spreading to the fresh cut.

Also after your first tree your cutting tool should be dipped in alcohol to prevent disease from spreading onto your next tree.

They added once you start an annual tree trimming routine you should keep at it every year.

"If you neglect it this year it will be harder to prune next year," said Dave Arquette.

The branches they look for have black tips, they are curled up and the bark is wrinkled. Also branches that are touching from another tree or from the same tree are to be removed.

They advise working from the top of the tree down, and to be careful when cutting off larger limbs. This is preferably done in three steps. Cutting underneath, cut above the previous cut and cut outside the branch collar. Just attacking the larger limb will hurt the process because the weight of the limb will drop the limb and it could tear the bark resulting in an access point for diseases.

It was recommended that 30% of the tree branches should be pruned. Late winter or early fall is the time to prune, because the tree is dormant and the temperature should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.