BRANCH MANAGEMENT WITH PROPER TIMING AND A LITTLE KNOW-HOW, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR TREES FIT AND TRIMMED.

Byline: Fred Shuster Staff Writer

Why prune trees? After all, what could be more low-maintenance than a tree? But size, form, function and health, certainly, are improved even when the most minor attention is paid. Trees appreciate periodic pruning. A good-looking tree is a well-tended tree.

We know what you're thinking - why do those incredible trees in the forest grow so well without the occasional nip and tuck? Because those forest growths are a perfect example of a kind of social Darwinism.

Your backyard shade tree is enormously different from the trees that grow in the wild. Those trees are fighting for space and light, so to survive, they must grow ramrod straight, keeping their side branches to a minimum.

Here in the city, while there seems to be little space for us humans, trees have more room to branch out. And more growth can mean diseased, dead, damaged or deranged branches - the four dreaded D's of tree-trimming. When a bad branch is exorcised, a tree feels and looks better.

Pruning can range from rubbing away a new growth between one's thumb and forefinger or it can mean clipping with one of several types of pruning shears or handsaws, pole pruners or pole saws.

But while the concept is relatively simple, an improper trim job can lead to unwanted consequences.

``Each tree is different,'' says Wayne Walker, a horticulturist at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge. ``One tree might look perfect, then another might have a branch shooting straight down. You need to check around it to see what's strong and healthy and what's not. Because if you just leave it untended to grow wildly, it can cost you later.''

The first step is to stand in front of your tree and get a sense of its health and vitality. Look for areas of stress, such as dead, dying or straggly branches, bug infestation, disease or water sprouts, the latter a fast-growing branch that grows vertically and off a horizontal branch, disrupting the natural form of the tree.

``You want to cut at an angle right above the bud and prune toward an outward-facing bud,'' said Steve Hofvendahl, nursery manager and coordinator of the fruit tree program at TreePeople, a nonprofit organization in Coldwater Canyon that promotes conservation and urban forestry.

Another reason to prune is safety. Leaves and dead wood can provide fuel for wildfires. On the other hand, scores of homes are saved each year as a result of judicious pruning and landscaping that removes flammable vegetation such as dead wood and low branches.

There are other dangers, too, warns Jerry Turney, plant pathologist at the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner's Office: ``A branch could be so low that someone might hit their head on it.''

At the same time, many arborists, including Turney, frown upon the practice of topping trees, in which main branches are cut back to stubs. The process often results in sickly, weakly attached limbs coming back even higher than the original branches.

``Not only that, but you're cutting back the tree's food-making ability and leaving it open to bugs and disease,'' Turney said.

As in most things, timing is the key to successful tree-trimming. While poets sing the praises of the earth's renewal in those months, arborists say wait until fall.

``(With) oaks, for example, it's better in late summer or early fall; deciduous trees in winter. Trees that bloom early in the spring should be pruned right after they flower,'' Turney said. ``Dead wood, anytime. But it's extremely important when you prune.''

Young trees, for example, shouldn't be pruned until a year or two after they've been planted.

``Say you plant a 6-foot tree in a 5-gallon pot and a branch is coming off the tree at 3 feet,'' Turney explained. ``Don't wait 15 years to cut that branch off. Leave it on for first year or two because it helps feed the trunk. But it can present a danger to people later.''

Hofvendahl advises first-time trimmers to be bold.

``Don't fear pruning,'' he said. ``People are very timid at first, but you learn by doing it. The idea is very basic - you are reducing plant material for desired effect, which induces more growth. It's pretty simple. The classic thing is, just get in there when the leaves are there and do your pruning. It's about enhancing the tree.''

Fred Shuster, [phone]

fred.shuster(at)dailynews.com

When to leave it to the pros

Ornamental trees need to be trimmed occasionally to maintain structure, health and pleasing appearance.

Locally, trim any tree or shrub that bloomed early in the season like deciduous magnolias or camellias. Also up for a good pruning is the Victorian box tree as well as the olive tree.

For the big jobs, though, like removal of heavy broken branches or high limbs, it's best to hire a qualified professional.

Jerry Turney, plant pathologist at the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner's Office, suggests the best pro pruners are card-carrying members of a tree-trimming association such as the International Society of Arboriculture or the National Association of Arborists. When you look at tree-trimming advertisements in the yellow pages, search for companies with logos from those associations, Turney advises.

``That means they have training in the field and passed the test and have come away certified,'' he said. ``A good tree-trimming outfit will also carry liability insurance and workers' comp for its employees.''

- Fred Shuster

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) On the cover: Trees in cities tend to require more attention than their counterparts in the forest due to open spaces that enable unrestrained growth. Judicious trimming restores a natural balance.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Steve Hofvendahl of TreePeople, a nonprofit group in Coldwater Canyon that promotes conservation and urban forestry, demonstrates his pruning technique.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Above: Workers from Above & Beyond Tree Service in Calabasas Hills tend to a tree in the back yard of a home in Thousand Oaks. An effective tree trimming will prolong its life and reduce the risk of fire and other calamities.

(4 -- color) Above left: David Ambrosio of Above & Beyond leans into a branch with his chain saw; trimmers must know when it's OK to cut and when a branch needs to keep feeding the trunk.

(5 -- color) Left: A thick nest of branches proves no match for Above & Beyond's Freddy Hernandez, who puts his long-reach clippers to use.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

When to leave it to the pros (see text)