D
8
c/arboriststhe_tarathe_tara1mo agoProlific Poster

A client's comment about my pruning cuts changed how I work

Last spring a homeowner told me my oak tree cuts looked like I used a chainsaw instead of proper pruning tools. I was mad at first, but then I looked closer and saw the jagged bark tears. Now I always clean up collar cuts with a hand saw and notch bigger limbs first. Anyone else had a client call you out on something you thought you were doing right?
2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In
2 Comments
brooke71
brooke711mo ago
Hate to say it but you might have been right to be mad first then look closer. That's actually the right way to prune an oak - you're supposed to use a pruning saw for the final cut on the collar, not a handsaw for the whole thing. The notch method's good for bigger limbs though, keeps the bark from tearing.
1
sage_morgan75
Exactly who is stressing about oak trees this much that they're timing when to be mad about pruning? Seems like a lot of energy for a branch that's already been cut. People act like trimming a tree is brain surgery, but half the time the thing grows back fine no matter what you do. I've seen oaks survive way worse than a slightly off cut, they're tough trees. Maybe just step back and see if the tree is still alive in a few months before getting worked up over saw types.
2