CELEBRATING 10 YEARS
Structural Pruning
Structural Pruning is one of the specialized services offered to Harrison McPhee customers.
​
Structural pruning creates a stronger tree by reducing the overall mass of a large or small tree. The process entails shortening limbs (also know as subordinating) in order to reduce weight, adjust the leverage of the branches, and reduce overall surface area. Pruning minimizes limb breakage from excessive rain or heavy wet snow.
​
Shortening the limbs of the tree results in less motion, or "wind whipping," to protect trees during a wind storm. The limbs are pruned back to smaller, secondary limbs that are large enough to continue growing from where the reduction cuts are made. This re-distributes the tree’s growth hormones, encouraging growth in other areas of the tree. Simultaneously, the pruned limbs thicken their girth over time, which adds strength and stability to the tree's structure.
​
Limb Removal​
​
Structural pruning removes dead limbs from the tree. Dead limbs can cause safety hazards and growth issues, including crossing, conflicting, or redundant limbs.
Limbs that compete with a dominant trunk are subordinated (removed), and limbs that are not growing at an ideal angulation for the tree are pruned. A high tensile support cable may be necessary to ensure proper branch safety for large limbs which have poor angulation.