Broken, Cracked, or Hanging Branches
Structural damage should be addressed promptly.
These branches:
- Create immediate safety hazards
- Tear bark further in wind
- Provide entry points for decay
Use proper weight reduction and controlled removal techniques to avoid additional damage.
Crossing, Rubbing, or Touching Branches
Branches that rub together create wounds that never heal properly.
Pruning goals:
- Remove the lower-value or poorly attached branch
- Preserve spacing between limbs
- Improve airflow and light penetration
Never remove both branches unless structurally necessary.
Structurally Competing Leaders
Co-dominant leaders compete for dominance and weaken structure over time.
Best practices:
- Subordinate one leader early
- Avoid topping
- Use reduction to guide structure
- Maintain a single dominant leader where appropriate
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What Should NOT Be Pruned
Equally important is knowing what not to cut.
Do not prune:
- Healthy, well-attached scaffold branches without purpose
- Large diameter live limbs unnecessarily
- Branches solely for appearance
- Interior growth that supports structure
- Branches needed for energy production
Every cut reduces stored energy.
Pruning Priority Order (Climber Reference)
- Safety hazards
- Deadwood
- Broken or damaged limbs
- Diseased branches (when appropriate)
- Structural defects
- Clearance issues
- Aesthetic refinement
If time or access is limited, stop after addressing structure and safety.
Poorly Attached Branches
Branches with:
- Narrow attachment angles
- Included bark
- Weak unions
…should be subordinated or removed early to prevent future failure.
Early correction is far more effective than late-stage removal.
6
Excessive Suckers and Watersprouts
Suckers and watersprouts:
- Grow rapidly
- Attach weakly
- Increase maintenance needs
- Disrupt structure
Remove selectively, focusing on:
- Reducing density
- Preserving desirable structure
- Avoiding excessive live tissue removal
Branches Creating Clearance Issues
Prune branches that interfere with:
- Buildings
- Rooflines
- Walkways
- Driveways
- Utility lines
Clearance pruning should:
- Maintain natural form
- Avoid lion-tailing
- Use reduction cuts instead of removal when possible
Final Decision Rule
Before cutting, ask:
- Is this branch dead, damaged, diseased, or defective?
- Does removing it improve long-term structure?
- Will this cut reduce future risk?
- Is this the smallest, cleanest cut possible?
If the answer is unclear — do not cut.
Pruning principles taught here are applied in professional field work by ISA Certified Arborist Sean Harman in Alexandria, Virginia.