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Question
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Does
pruning make a tree grow faster?
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| Answer
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I'm not
sure that pruning will help the tree to grow faster, but it
will help if you prune out weak, crossing and
interfering branches and direct future growth
into the good structure. Ideally you should keep as much
foliage as possible so that the tree can produce
and establish a solid root system - especially when the tree is
young. I would consult a local arborist
before you do any pruning.
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| Question
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There is a law in my municipality against pruning an elm tree, but other trees can be pruned. Why is that?
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| Answer
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That's a good question. The answer lies with the way that Dutch elm disease is transmitted. The
elm bark beetle, which carries the DED fungus on its back, is most active from mid-spring until late summer. These beetles are attracted to the open wounds that are left on a tree after pruning. Therefore, you should only prune an elm when the beetles are relatively inactive which is in early spring or fall.
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