How to Prune a Hawthorn Tree: Before we discuss how to prune a Hawthorn tree, it’s necessary to first understand when to prune it. Never prune a Hawthorn tree before it’s got a reasonable chance of becoming established. For the best appearance and health of the plant, it’s best to wait until it’s at least 5 feet tall. If you are not sure about this, then you can hire a professional tree surgeon to carry out the pruning.
There are basically two types of pruning shears – blunt-toothed shears and inter-spiral shears. Branches that are curved, or have disease, are often difficult to work with, so it’s important that you don’t prune them at all. Although the shears can be used to remove diseased branches, if they’re blunt, they won’t do much good. In order to control and thin out weak and diseased branches, the best course of action is to go with inter-spiral shears.
Hawthorn trees don’t like being pruned. They like to grow in their natural state. You must carefully choose the angle at which you prune, or you may end up killing the tree. There are basically two methods for pruning hawthorn trees – straight up and down, and left side to side. It really depends on the situation and what you’re trying to achieve aesthetically.
Straight up and down method of how to prune a hawthorn tree: remove dead branches and thin out weaker ones. Use a sharp pair of shears to remove dead branches. Be sure to check every part of the branch for any danger – diseased branches, broken pieces or damaged bark for example. This is where you may need a pair of tree guards to keep dead material from growing back.
Left side to side method of how to prune a hawthorn trees: remove the majority of the branches, while keeping a few slightly thicker ones around as an option for future growth. Thicker branches will help support the tree’s weight. You can also use a pruning fork to remove infected areas. However, be careful not to cut too far above the main trunk – it may result in the tree falling.
Pruning can be done in summer when trees need watering. However, some trees such as Hawthorns, prefer their summers to be dry, so it’s best to prune them after they have had a cool season. Once you’ve decided how to prune a hawthorn tree, remember to never prune the same wound again. As long as you’re doing it right, the wound will heal just fine. But try to avoid pruning the same area on consecutive summers.
If you want to know how to prune a hawthorn trees, you must realize that there are different types of trees which grow in the same way. Some, such as Hawthorn, prefer to grow close to each other, while others, like Pine, prefer to grow apart. Pruning is usually done on trees whose shoots are close to each other, such as Hawthorn trees. Pruning the shorter shoots will help the larger, longer ones grow out without getting tangled. The best thing to do is make a cross between two shoots – this will make the shorter one reach the ground sooner.
Some Hawthorns do not like to be pruned, as they will grow side branches and hang over fences or walls. If you do decide to remove dead and diseased branches, make sure you also remove dead roots and soil. Also make sure you don’t damage the trunk of the tree by removing too much of its foliage. You might be surprised at how fast a healthy tree will grow back if you don’t remove too much of its foliage.
