BEST way to trim a branch off a small tree Pro DIY tips for Central Florida #pruning #trimming #landscapemaintenance #backyard

How many times have you seen rotten branches on a small tree left over from a bad pruning job? The last 6 or 8 inches left attached to the main branch just to rot. Leaving these stubs just to rot is unhealthy for the plant (not to mention you could walk into one and scrape yourself or worse). These stubs when left to rot on the larger branches and truck of a shrub or small tree will simply begin to decay. As they become more and more rotten they provide entry way into the shrubs branches for pests and disease. I’ve seen entire large shrubs dead and rotten at the base from this.

Have a look at the following picture. This is an example of BAD leftover stubs from cuts not made at the base of the branch.

These branches were left to rot after a shrub pruning job. Sloppy trimming like this can leave your beautiful large hedges open to disease and pests as these stubs decay. Be sure to trim down to the base and learn how by watching this video.

 Now that you’ve seen an example of a bad cut, make sure you watch the following video to learn how to make a proper cut.

Here are a couple more examples of bad cuts. Be sure to avoid these and trim the branch down to the base as illustrated in the video.

This rotten stub was left to rot after a trim job. This is not healthy for this viburnum shrub.

Example of a bad trimming cut. See the left over stub? See how rotten that is? That can spread into the trunk and kill this ligustrum.