Birch trees are true survivors. As so-called pioneer plants, they are first settlers, and this means that they also grow in poor soil and poor conditions. Accordingly, they basically do not need pruning to thrive better. However, if they become too high or otherwise spread too much, you can use the following instructions to cut your birch.

It makes sense to thin out the crown from time to time

Reasons for pruning

While other tree species depend on timely pruning for the development of their fruit, the birch basically does not require any further intervention. Nevertheless, it can make sense to cut birch trees. Be it because they are too high for their location or otherwise disturb. Above all, the cut serves to give surrounding plants more space and light. In order not to destroy the growth habit, however, you should carefully contain the crown instead of regularly thinning it out.

  • Avoid: thinning of the crown by constant shortening
  • Better: reducing the crown circumference

Targeted thinning of the crown

In order for the tree to let more light through between the branches, it is possible to thin out the crown by shortening individual branches. However, this only helps for a short time, because the vital tree will keep producing new shoots to close the gaps. You will soon have to cut again, and the constant new shoots will cause thickening and the natural symmetry of the growth will suffer. In addition, you rob the existing thicker branches of important leaves that are crucial for nutrition. Since they would have to cut again and again, this would lead to a weakening of the birch in the long run.

Reduction of scope - instructions

  1. Remove duplicate branches, i.e. specimens that are one behind the other. You can completely remove the branch branching in the front level instead of just shortening the branches.
  2. Avoid shortening the leader. The birch could react sensitively to this and reduce its overall growth.
  3. In the peripheral area, always cut the thicker branches and leave the thinner ones.
  4. However, thicker branches may also remain near the trunk.
  5. With this procedure, the cut is hardly noticeable and you get the natural growth habit.

The right time for the tree pruning

If you decide to prune the birch in your garden, then you should not start doing it haphazardly. Wait until late fall. Frost-free days are best for pruning. At this point, the birch is at a standstill: the leaves are shed, it absorbs less water and no longer pumps it to the tops with all its might.

On the other hand, if you cut the birch in spring while the pumping system is running at full speed, your tree will start weeping. In fact, in this case, large amounts of water run out of the tree at the cutting points. It is not clear whether this harms the tree per se. To be on the safe side, only experienced gardeners should use this variant.

Category:

Trees