Poor Pruning in Seattle, Oh My!

We get out, we walk around, and sometimes we are saddened by what we see. Here is a photo of a prime example of poor pruning. Let me explain.

As you can see, this tree is still alive--or at least part of it is. The pink blooms are lovely, but we can't appreciate their beauty because of the ugly stumps. We're not sure what the goal was with this pruning job, but each of those cuts left a stump. None of those stumps will callus over and heal, thus keeping the tree stressed and inviting fungi and pests.

In addition, the canopy has been obliterated, leaving a lopsided tree. This is very unattractive. The amount of the canopy removed is too much for the tree to bear, and it will now descend into its death spiral.

In this case, the best suggestion is to remove the tree entirely and plant a new one. This tree diminishes the value of the house and the aesthetics of the street. Put the tree out of its misery and begin again. Next time, though, call in a professional to prune your tree!