Free ISA Proper Pruning Practices Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When removing a large, heavy limb from a mature oak tree, what is the primary reason for using the three-cut method?
- To prevent the weight of the limb from tearing the bark down the trunk. (Correct answer)
- To ensure the final cut is perfectly flush with the trunk.
- To speed up the removal process by making three quick cuts.
- To create a smaller wound surface for faster callus development.
Correct answer: To prevent the weight of the limb from tearing the bark down the trunk.
The three-cut method is a critical safety and tree health practice. The first two cuts (an undercut followed by a top cut farther out on the limb) remove the majority of the limb's weight. This prevents the branch from splitting and tearing the bark down the trunk as the final cut is made near the branch collar.
Question 2: An arborist is hired to reduce the height of a large, spreading maple tree that is growing too close to overhead utility lines. Which of the following is the most appropriate and professionally accepted pruning technique?
- Crown thinning to remove interior branches.
- Topping the tree by making large heading cuts.
- Crown reduction by pruning branches back to suitable lateral limbs. (Correct answer)
- Crown raising to provide clearance from below.
Correct answer: Crown reduction by pruning branches back to suitable lateral limbs.
Crown reduction is the appropriate technique for reducing the height or spread of a tree. It involves making careful cuts back to lateral branches that are at least one-third the diameter of the branch being removed. This maintains the tree's natural form and structural integrity. Topping is a harmful practice that creates large wounds and weakly attached sprouts. Crown thinning and raising do not address the primary goal of height reduction.
Question 3: A proper pruning cut should be made just outside the branch collar. What is the primary anatomical feature the branch collar contains that makes its preservation so crucial?
- Latent buds that will sprout new branches.
- Thick bark that protects against sunscald.
- Tissue that rapidly forms woundwood to seal the cut. (Correct answer)
- Stored sugars that provide energy for the entire tree.
Correct answer: Tissue that rapidly forms woundwood to seal the cut.
The branch collar is a swollen area of trunk tissue that forms at the base of a branch. It contains specialized cells that initiate the growth of woundwood (callus) to cover and compartmentalize the pruning wound, protecting the tree from decay and disease. Making a cut outside the collar leaves this tissue intact to properly seal the wound.
Question 4: Which of the following describes the practice of 'subordination pruning'?
- Removing all lower branches to a predetermined height.
- Making heading cuts on all terminal branches to create a hedge.
- Removing one or more codominant stems in favor of a single leader.
- Shortening a competing stem or branch to slow its growth and encourage a stronger leader. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Shortening a competing stem or branch to slow its growth and encourage a stronger leader.
Subordination pruning involves reducing the length of a competing stem or branch, typically a codominant leader, to slow its growth. This allows a single, more dominant leader to develop, which improves the tree's long-term structure and strength. It is a key technique in structural pruning, especially for young trees.
Question 5: While it is acceptable to remove dead, dying, or broken branches at any time, the best time to perform major structural pruning on most deciduous trees to maximize wound closure and minimize stress is during the:
- Late spring, after the leaves have fully expanded.
- Middle of summer, during the peak of photosynthesis.
- Early autumn, as the tree begins to go dormant.
- Dormant season, such as late winter or very early spring. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Dormant season, such as late winter or very early spring.
Pruning during the dormant season (late winter to early spring) is generally ideal for most deciduous trees. At this time, the tree can dedicate maximum energy to wound closure as soon as growth begins, the absence of leaves allows for a clear view of the branch structure, and the risk of transmitting many diseases is lower.
Question 6: A reduction cut is a pruning cut that shortens a stem or branch back to a lateral branch. To be considered a proper reduction cut, the remaining lateral branch should be:
- At least one-third the diameter of the branch being removed. (Correct answer)
- No more than one-quarter the diameter of the branch being removed.
- Perfectly perpendicular to the branch being removed.
- Younger than two years old.
Correct answer: At least one-third the diameter of the branch being removed.
For a reduction cut to be effective and not function like a harmful heading cut (topping), the remaining lateral branch must be large enough to assume apical control and help close the wound. The industry standard is that the lateral branch should be at least one-third the diameter of the parent stem that is being removed.
Free ISA Proper Pruning Practices Questions and Answers 1
When removing a large, heavy limb from a mature oak tree, what is the primary reason for using the three-cut method?