Directional pruning is a technique we use to help manage which way twigs, branches and trees grow.
It is a common procedure applied to trees that are growing:
- too closely to the side or on the roof of a house or building.
- directly under or into power lines.
- near roads and driveways where clearance is an issue.
- around chimneys or stovepipes.
Directional pruning can “train” a tree to grow in a general direction. After a tree is pruned using this technique the branches will be immediately cleared of the space that is undesirable and, when done properly, they will continue to grow in a more beneficial direction in the future. For many trees a single pruning will be enough to significantly improve their growth pattern, although, some trees will benefit with a follow-up pruning.