Chestnut trees grow just fine without pruning – up to 48 inches (1 m.) per year – but that doesn’t mean that cutting back chestnut trees is a waste of time. Chestnut tree pruning can keep a tree healthier, create a more attractive tree, and increase nut production. Pruning chestnut trees is not difficult. Read on to learn why and how to prune a chestnut tree.
Reasons for Trimming a Chestnut Tree
When to Start Cutting Back Chestnut Trees
Most chestnut tree pruning should take place in winter when the trees are dormant. If you are pruning to shape the tree or to limit its height, do it on a dry day in winter. Pruning back a broken or diseased branch shouldn’t wait for winter, however. Don’t hesitate to start cutting back chestnut trees for health reasons in summer, as long as the weather is dry. It’s critical to wait for dry weather to start cutting back chestnut trees. Trimming a chestnut tree while it is raining, or about to rain, is never recommended. It provides disease an easy way to enter the tree. If you prune during rain, the water drips directly into the pruning wounds, which can allow infection to enter the tree. Since chestnuts usually do not bleed sap when they are trimmed, new cuts are vulnerable until healed.
How to Prune Chestnut Trees
If you're considering how to prune chestnut trees, you’ll want to start by using the correct tools. Use pruners for branches under one inch (2.5 cm.) in diameter, loppers for branches from 1 to 2 ½ inches (2.5-6 cm.), and saws for bigger branches. The central leader system is the most popular for trimming a chestnut tree. In this system, all leaders but the strongest are removed to encourage tree height. However, the open-center system is preferred by some commercial producers. Whichever system you choose to use for trimming a chestnut tree, never remove more than one third of the chestnut tree in any one year. Remember that you won’t get any nuts at all on branches that are shaded as well.
