I finally spotted the difference in a tree I pruned 3 months ago

Tbh I pruned this big old silver maple back in April for a customer near the creek. I just walked by it today and saw how much more light gets through the crown now and how the branches are filling in evenly. It went from looking like a messy blob to having a clear central leader and good structure. Honestly it felt good to see the work actually pay off. Has anyone else gone back to a job months later and been surprised by the results?

2 comments

2 Comments

veraramirez23d ago

Used to think pruning was just cutting off whatever looked dead or out of place. Then I went back to this big oak I thinned out last fall and saw how much sun hit the ground where it used to be all shade. The difference in how the whole yard felt was kind of jarring actually. That moment made me realize there's a real science to picking which branches go, even if it doesn't look like it at first.

oscarm2423d agoTop Commenter

@veraramirez that's a good point. I had a similar moment last spring with a maple in my back yard. I took out a few lower limbs that were rubbing together and suddenly the whole flower bed underneath got enough light to actually bloom for the first time in years. It felt weird seeing the change so fast, like I had been blind to how much shade that tree was throwing. Makes you wonder how many little decisions like that add up over time.