Pruning the Linden Trees

November 28, 2022

In order to keep my Bedford, New York farm and all its gardens, allées, and groves as beautiful as possible, I pay lots of attention to the maintenance and care of all my trees.

Lindens, Tilia, are medium to large sized shade trees that are easy to maintain and attractive in any landscape. I have two linden tree allées. One near my stable and another which runs from the old corn crib all the way down to the chicken coops. Not long ago, Pasang and Domi groomed and "limbed up" this second, slightly younger, allée. They trimmed branches to control its shape and to allow for better air circulation through the center of the specimen. They also pruned back the low branches so anyone on foot, or on horseback, could pass through easily.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: Tilia, commonly called basswood or linden, is a medium to large deciduous tree which typically grows to 50 to 80 feet tall with an ovate-rounded crown. This spring view of the linden trees looks south up the allée from the Boxwood Allée.

: And here is a June photo looking north from the old corn crib, which is original to the farm. A corn crib is a type of granary used to dry and store corn. It may also be known as a corn house. Notice, the walls are slanted on the corn crib. This taper, which narrows a foot from top to bottom, was designed to keep the corn dry. The wooden boards are spaced slightly to let in air flow. Corn cribs are also raised above ground on stone piers strategically placed to support its frame and to deter any curious vermin.

: Here is a photo of the allée in October as the leaves start to turn. In autumn, the leaves of the linden tree take on a beautiful golden hue before dropping. Linden trees are easy to care for and ideal for urban landscapes because they tolerate a wide range of adverse conditions, including pollution.

: I loved the allée so much I extended it in 2017 all the way down to the chicken coops. These trees are developing so nicely.

: And here are some of the trees just before they were pruned. These trees are done every couple of years. The best time to prune trees is when the trees are dormant. It’s best to complete all pruning before early spring when the buds begin to form. Dormancy pruning reduces the amount of stress placed on the tree. The reduced flow of fluids in the tree during the time helps the pruning wounds heal quicker.

: For this pruning job, two different kinds of tools are used – an extended reach pole saw and a pole pruner.

: Pasang Sherpa is our resident tree pruner and groomer here at the farm. He oversees a lot of the smaller tree pruning projects. Pasang begins by cutting off dead, damaged, diseased, or crisscrossing branches using the telescoping pole saw.

: This tool is lightweight and has a very sharp blade for making smooth cuts. It is ideal for pruning higher branches that are not too thick.

: It is important to always use sharp tools whenever pruning so that the cuts are clean. Dull tools are difficult to use and could even damage the tree. A straight, clean-cut promotes quick healing of the wound and reduces stress on the specimen.

: As branches are taken down, they’re gathered and placed into tidy piles, so they can be cleaned up easily and quickly. After the job is done the crew will chip the branches and use the wood chips as top dressing in another area of the farm. Everything is always reused, repurposed or recycled when possible.

: Here, Pasang uses a long-reach pole pruner to cut higher branches that are more difficult to reach.

: This tool has about a 1/2-inch cutting capacity.

: Then, Domi gathers all the branches and piles them up neatly in sections.

: I instructed them to “limb up” by cutting the lower branches that are hanging too low over the center path. Pasang looks at what he has done and assesses what he will cut next to ensure the trees look uniform down the entire length of the allée.

: It is easy to see where any branch was previously cut. The one on the left is a new cut and the one on the right is older.

: There are a lot of branches cut from these lindens, but already there is more light and air circulating through the allée, and one can see more clearly underneath the trees.