Tree pruning for tree health and turf

henhen11417 – posted 20 March 2005 10:51

I need to document for my wife that it is, not just OK, but better for long term tree health to prune a tree. Our back yard is full shade due to four large oak and one beech, plus neighbors trees. The trees have not been touched in over 10 years. My wife loves their majestic beauty, and insists that they be left “natural”. Then she complains about soil erosion and lack of turf. To solve the turf issue, I need sunlight. Please help me find articles that say pruning a tree (selectively) is not tree dimemberment or tree torture — it is,if done correctly, the RIGHT thing to do for a tree. Thanks.

Turfmiester – posted 20 March 2005 17:03

You can not grow grass in the SHADE. Take your wife to any golf course and show her a green. There are no trees shading it. That should be all the proof you need.

jr – posted 22 March 2005 10:59

I am an ISA certified arborist. I dont know how big your yard is, or how heavily shaded it is, but its unlikely that you can prune the tree heavily enough to gain substantial sunlight without harming the tree. Trees dont need pruning to stay healthy in most cases, no more than you need your arms and legs pruned. There are cases where branch defects arise that should be corrected, and training while the tree is young is important, and of course any broken, dead, or diseased branches should be removed, but other than that, regular pruning doesnt do a tree any favors.

Forget about growing grass under your trees. Trees are far more valuable to a landscape than grass anyway. Try other ideas, like mulching areas, groundcovers that are suitable to your area, shade tolerant shrubs, and using decorative rock.

jmoetreepro – posted 27 March 2005 17:58

I am a degreed agronomist as well as a certifyed arborist,with many years of experience in the tree business and over 25 years experience in soils/ag. It would be nice to know what type of oaks you have as well as their approximate ages and general health and growth patterns. But generally speaking most trees can gain some bennifecial effects from some sort of prunning. For example the Live Oak when left un touched gets a very dense cannpoy to the point of causing some of the underlying branches to die creating whats is commonly called dead wood. Prunning these trees can greatly increase the overall healty and beauty of these trees as well as help the grass under the tree. However one could let a red oak go it’s entire life without a prunning. Every sitiation is diffirent the location of the trees in proxcimity to one and other as well as to your neighbors trees comes into play. Another factor that is usually helped is the trees abality to weather storms both wind and ice storms much better by allowing for better air movement through the cannopy on a trimmed tree. Also the remaining cannopy usually will become more healthy due to the increased food that it wil recieve. I would have to side with you and prune the trees but make sure not to take more that 15-20% off. As far as the grass you might try a more shade tolorant varity. Also dont overlook the amount of water in the soil around the treetend to pull a lot of moisture out of the soil. I recomend that you cantact a local tree expert.

Turfmiester – posted 27 March 2005 19:29

Hey jr, Turf is as important or maybe more important than trees. All trees do is cause litter to have to be cleaned up, and under some circumstances will cause rot and mildew in your house. Trees are for the forest, turf is for the yard.