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How to prune When removing branches do not damage the wrinkly wood around the base of the branch (the collar). This contains tissue which produces new wood cells. If too much of it is removed or torn the pruning will take longer to heal and expose the tree to fungal attack, as well as lowering timber quality.
For effective pruning:
- prune close to the trunk without damaging the 'collar'; and
- use sharp equipment for fast, clean cutting.
1 – Sucker 2 – Limb
When to prune
It is important to prune on a regular basis, approximately every 6 to 8 weeks during the growing season. Delayed pruning results in losses of valuable clear wood as paulownia can develop very large branches in a short amount of time. Delays cause the knotty core to increase in size. As a guide, remove suckers before they exceed 3 – 4 inches in length because they are easier to remove and also the knotty core is minimized. Pruning should begin as soon as the tree develops suckers. During the season prune all the way up to where you want the canopy to start. For example: shade trees - approximately 8 – 10 feet; timber trees – approximately 15 – 18 feet.
Winter Pruning
Pruning in fall and early winter is recommended for older growth trees. Once the trees have gone into dormancy it is easy to identify lower limbs or branches that have been missed during the growing season.
Pruning equipment
Your choice of equipment depends on the size of the job and the labor available.
Pruning equipment for older trees include:
à small hand shears and saws;
à light chainsaws;
à extended hand shears;
à saw blades on long poles (pole saws)
à sharp pocket knife (for first year growth trees)
If the trees do not reach 18 feet in the first growing season we advise they should be cut back to the ground (coppiced). This should be done approximately 2-3 weeks before the spring of the following season. This will produce a straight clear trunk exceeding 18 feet in the next growing season which will increase the log value.
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