What trimming is for
Trimming is the appearance and clearance end of tree work: shaping growth, keeping branches off gutters and pathways, controlling a hedge, and keeping a tree in proportion with the space around it.
It is not the same job as pruning for health and structure, even though the tools are the same. The difference between the two matters when you are comparing quotes, because operators use the words interchangeably and customers do not.
The tools that matter
Bypass secateurs for anything to about 20mm. Bypass, not anvil - anvil blades crush the stem rather than slicing it.
Loppers to about 40mm, which gives leverage without the reach problems of a pole.
A pruning saw beyond that. A curved Japanese-pattern saw that cuts on the pull stroke is far more controllable than a bow saw in a canopy.
A pole pruner for anything just out of reach, which is more useful and far safer than a ladder.
Hedge shears or a powered hedger for formal hedging only. Never use shears on a tree - they cut through whatever is in the way, leaving stubs everywhere.
Sharpen everything before you start. A clean cut closes; a crushed one does not.
The general technique
Start by walking around the tree and deciding what the finished shape is. Most bad trimming happens because the person starts cutting before they have decided where they are going.
Remove dead, damaged and crossing material first. Very often that is all the tree needed and you can stop.
Then work on the clearance you actually wanted, taking whole branches back to their point of origin or to a lateral of adequate size rather than shortening everything uniformly. Step back every few cuts - it is hard to judge a canopy from underneath it.
Five mistakes worth avoiding
Taking too much. A quarter of the live canopy is the ceiling for one season.
Topping. Cutting through a limb at an arbitrary height creates the regrowth hazard described here.
Leaving stubs. A stub has no growing tip and dies back, opening the stem to decay.
Flush cutting. Cutting hard against the trunk removes the branch collar and the tissue that closes wounds.
Lion-tailing. Stripping all interior foliage so tufts are left at the branch tips. It looks neat and it concentrates weight at the end of the lever arm, which is exactly the wrong place for it in a Sunshine Coast summer storm.
Timing
Structural and clearance work suits late winter into early spring in this climate. Flowering ornamentals are best trimmed straight after flowering. Dead and hazardous material comes off whenever it is spotted. The full calendar is in the pruning timing guide.
Where to stop
If the work needs a ladder, a chainsaw above shoulder height, or a rope, it is no longer a trimming job. For anything of that size, ring (07) 5408 6029 or see what professional pruning involves.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between trimming and pruning?
Trimming is about appearance and clearance - shaping growth, keeping branches off a path or a roof, tidying a hedge. Pruning is about health and structure - removing dead, diseased or badly attached material. The tools overlap, the reasoning does not, and a tree usually needs both at different times.
How often should trees be trimmed?
Most established ornamental trees benefit from attention every two to three years. Fast-growing species in the Sunshine Coast climate may need annual clearance work. Mature natives often need nothing beyond dead-wooding, and trimming them on a schedule for its own sake does more harm than good.
What are the most common trimming mistakes?
Taking too much at once, topping a tree instead of reducing it, leaving stubs, flush-cutting against the trunk, and lion-tailing - stripping all the interior growth so the weight ends up at the tips. The last one looks tidy and substantially increases the chance of limb failure.
When should I not trim?
During a heat wave or drought, when the tree is already stressed, immediately after transplanting, and during the peak of active growth flush. Also skip it if more than a quarter of the live canopy would have to come off to achieve what you want - that is a sign the tree is in the wrong place, not that it needs a trim.