Hi John, I have been an arborist since the 1980s. And I want to COMPLIMENT you on this video. Your facts are good, your demonstrations are good and you are a good speaker. Originally I got my training with the tree department of a coastal city in California. They worked it like a college course and we were city employees. While there I saw many trees mangled by our city landscapers. I'm still not sure what they thought they were doing. But I started telling the gardeners to keep their hands off the trees! To this day I tell people, "GARDENERS ARE NOT TREE MEN AND TREE MEN ARE NOT GARDENERS!" And that applies to me as well! Let's stick to what we were trained for. Obviously there will be exceptions. A gardener who watches videos like this, and those of "arborist Blair Glenn" on RU-vid, will be far ahead. I know a county employee here that has a degree in horticulture. Even he asks about tree pruning. I am very happy to teach pruning to my customers and their families. I want them to believe in proper pruning. And the day will come when they will want to cut something on a tree of theirs. I want them to be happy and confident they did the cut properly when I'm there on another visit and they show me what they did. It happens several times a year. That folding pruning saw of yours looks like a "tri edge" saw tooth pattern. They are the best. Thanks for a good video. Michael in Rural Northeastern California.
Great Video...I never thought about the fact that trees could heal and grow over broken stumps and encapsulate the old branches like that. Makes you really appreciate trees haha
Trust me, trees heal! As a gardener I see so many stumps that have grown sideways at ground level. It's an absolute nightmare to clear up and even harder to find the leading trunk.
That was a very valuable lesson and I can't thank you enough for taking the time out to patiently teach us the proper method and procedures. Really good teachable moment video! Salute!
I like your demonstration on tree healing with the actual wood examples (keep in your tree pruning museum/library). I also appreciate the tool explanation (the subtle humour)….and finally, the explanation of tree terminology!
Great Video! I never thought about the fact that treez could heal and grow over broken stumps and encapsulate the old branches like that. Make me really appreciate trees in a whole new light!
Like you said, they show you the 3 cut method but don’t really get into why you’re supposed to do it like this. I have a pruning pole blade and was about to go to town on a bunch of trees until I saw this. So glad I took the time to learn why this method is used and how to keep the trees healthy. Thank you for all the information and example! Super helpful!
I wanted to thank you for the education on the 3 cut method. I've always thought I had a pretty good idea of how to go about things when pruning my trees. I live in Arizona, and have mesquite trees that need pruning alot more than other trees I'm used to. The only way I could think to help you in return was to share your video and hit your website a few times. Thanks again, I really learned some things here that now that I know seem like common sense, but they're really not. I, like you prefer the outdoors and work in construction. Your website may have just inspired me to get a degree in horticulture and go to work for myself. Thanks again
Many thanks for the insight. This weekend, I’m going to tidy my garden up after a local tree surgeon quoted me £800 to do it for me! That’s for pruning a 20-foot cherry tree with 90% of its branches no thicker than my big toe, for levelling off a 15-foot run of hedging, for cutting back two buddleias, and for removing some bits of ivy that are currently attempting to invade my attic.
Thank you for this. My aunt was complaining about a tree that was damaged a bit during some storms we got and it basically turned into a huge shrub. my uncle never got around to it so i figured "i can do it" With your help i can prune this tree and try to help it become a tree again. Thank you
Great video. It should be mandatory viewing with field experience at every school. My pet peeve is what I call" blunt stump pruning" like at 8:00. They cut a branch to the length they want it, and don't consider how it will recover or if it will. A well pruned tree should not "look pruned," It should look more open and airy or reduced in size. My neighbor cut two 15' "Nuccio's' Camellias down to 2' stumps, and said "Oh they'll grow back." They must have been at least 40 or 50 years old and were densely foliated even on the north side. The most spectacular I'd ever seen. It will take decades for them to "recover" and by then rot will have long since set in. Redwoods are the only tree I know capable of "legacy growth." They can be cut like a telephone pole, send up a new leader to one side that will grow over the stump and a few years later the tree will look unscathed. Thanks
Thanks! I now know how to tell the collar of my tree from the rest of the tree ;) So I can prune my tree in a health manor, Ive spent alot on my trees!! Thanks for this video, it has really gave the information I have wanted to know for so long... ;)
Nice video John. everything you said was pretty spot on. The three cut method is called Natural Target Pruning : ) When you can see the collar it is the best indication of where to prune, however some trees do not have a visible collar to guide us. in the absence of a collar one must use the BBR ( branch bark ridge) as a guide. one must stand so they are directly facing the limb or branch they want to cut. then one must make an imaginary line down the out side of the trunk and symmetrically oppose the BBR to this line. in the cases that there is a collar one can do what i just said and will find that the mirror image of the BBR is in the exact same spot as the collar. I hope i made some sense here. possible consider doing another vid on the correct pruning for when one removes the main stem and prunes it back to an existing branch, this is more difficult
I only use the 3 cut method when the branch is too big or heavy to hold up. That small branch can be cut with a small cut at the bottom, then the top cut can be done all the way down. Another key tip to a great cut is a sharp saw. Do not use old & rusty. Another thing you say take your time, I need to add, sometimes it's possible, but sometimes we really can't take our sweet time if we are on a time schedule, or 30ft. Up in a tree hanging from it's crown.
This is amazing, really. I have seen these things in wood before and to know the happenings behind it is fricking fascinating. Trees are so cool I just love them 🥰
My dad always parks his cars into trees for some reason. As soon as I'm in a hardware store, I'll pick up one of those blades and prune said trees so that I can walk under their branches. Thanks!
I so greatly appreciate this video. Im going to try save our half dead tree in the front yard. One side has these beautiful white flowers and the other looks like something out of a horror movie.
THANK YOU! I've learned something new, and I believe that knowing why is the most important and really beneficial to remember how to do things. I just wish I watched it before I pruned one branch a few days ago...
Great video, you have a unaffected, personal style. If I could change it I would like the cutting method to be shown earlier. I heard the words "3-cut method" so many times without seeing it that I was beginning to think I was watching an infomercial!
Thank you so much for sharing best video I have seen on pruning VERY informative:) and I could totally relate to the "Jelly Arm" In fact because of this after working on the Crepe Myrtle in my yard for a very long while, I tore the bark on the second to last branch I was cutting. These were the tallest branches and I was already at the second to last step of the ladder (won't get on the top one) and stretching my arms as far as the could they could stretch Thanks for your help!
Great video. The example trees at the beginning really helped to understand the process (for the tree, not just so that I have a neater yard!) Brilliant.
ow great pruning video and explanation of 3 cut method. I should have watched this before I cut my apple tree. It’s no longer with us. Great info man, keep it up!
Thank you s much for the explanation and demonstration! That made so much sense. I learned a lot from my dad on rose bushes and gardening but never learned about trees and shrubs.
I trimmed a sycamore back about 2 weeks ago. I used these methods without even thinking. Only thing i didn't realize or even think about, was how far back i cut it. They say not to cut a young tree more than 25%, this tree is around 6 years old and I'd say i cut it back closer to 50% (oops) i left some smaller branches on it, a few still have leaves. I hope it comes back 😥 i have been pruning trees and shrubs for years and have never killed one, i hope it's not the first, because it was a beautiful tree.
6:47 till 7:30 Finally after 7 years... I just learn this very useful technique... Thank you very much. Somewhere from Borneo, where trees are everywhere ,🥴
Hi, John. Great video! I've had instruction on the "how to," but I appreciate knowing the "why." Your presentation is concise and informative. Thank you so much.
I just lost my father, the last tree he cut ,the branch fell on his shoulder and he fell with the weight. When we checked on him, he was already gone. Please leta be safe 🙏🏽
Really sorry for your loss I can’t even imagine how that would feel… and as a junior arborist with children I will take this a warning and do my best to use the safest practices possible while I work. Wish you all the best on your healing journey
