Darlene learns how the pros take off a limb (and heal the wound)

Each week, Susan Richards of New North Greenhouses answers your gardening questions. Have questions about your gardening needs? Please email her at [email protected]

Darlene: I was wondering if you can prune off dead branches from a hedge anytime?

Yes, dead wood can be pruned anytime you see it. You don't have to wait until a particular time of year to do that kind of pruning.

If it is a small dead branch, use a pair of hand pruners or loppers and remove the branch right down at the base where it meets the main trunk.

A bit more information on the subject of removing dead wood: If you are removing a large dead branch form a tree, there are a few things to consider before starting the job. If you start sawing through a limb that has a lot of weight to it, as you cut through, the limb will start to move. All of a sudden the weight will carry the limb down and, as it falls, the bark will tear creating a very large wound that the tree will have to heal. A triple cut method should be used instead to prevent this from happening.

First make a shallow cut on the underside of the limb about a foot out from the trunk. This cut will stop the bark from tearing.

Then your second cut starts about 6" out from your first one but down from the top. The limb will fall and the bark will only tear to the undercut.

This will leave a large stub. The rule of thumb for pruning is not to leave a stub that's big enough to 'hang a hat on'. That stub has to rot and fall off before the tree can form callus tissue to heal the wound.

The third cut removes the stub at a slight outward angle so water is shed from the wound.

Please don't use household paint to cover the exposed cut. This barrier can trap moist causing rot. Instead leave the wound to heal on its own. If you really don't like the look of the fresh cut, a light spray of black pruning paint will disguise the area. This product is quite safe to use.

Don: I have a young tree that has been damaged by a lawn mower. The bark had been skinned off on one side near the base. How can I save the tree?

A healthy tree will repair a wound like that but it does take time. You can help keep insects out of the wound by applying a thin layer of artificial bark to the area. This product seals the wound but still allow callus tissue to grow, which is the tree's method of healing.

Be sure to keep the tree well watered and fertilized in the mean time. Just like people, a tree under stress won't heal a wound as quickly.