When a freshly planted fir tree begins to grow, the new shoots usually blend in harmoniously. Hardly any owner will feel the need to reach for the scissors. But as the years go by, it conquers more and more space in the garden. So it may become unavoidable to trim some branches. But if the cut is not made in the right place, the fir will not sprout again. You should therefore note the following information.

cut fir

The branches stick out over the fence or a storm has disfigured the fir? There are numerous reasons that make a fir tree trimming necessary.

Do not cut young fir

When planting and in the following two years you should not cut a young fir. Fir trees, botanically Abies, form evenly shaped, visually appealing crowns. A cut only robs them of their valuable shoots and throws them back in their development.

education cuts

Even after the age of three, educational cuts are rarely necessary. Only if the growth habit deviates from the norm or the owner's expectations in some respects can the scissors be used to correct it. The cutting should also be on a minimum restrict. Four situations in which educational action should be taken are described in more detail below.

promote branching

If the tree isn't growing densely enough, regular pruning can encourage branching. An Abies only drives out at the ends of the branches every year. This circumstance makes it easy for the owner to perform the cut.

  • act in the spring
  • just before the fresh green buds
  • Cut tips evenly
  • don't skip branches

straight middle

Upright-growing fir varieties usually have a typical shape: there are many horizontal side branches on a continuous central shoot. In the case of grafted firs in particular, it can occasionally be observed that the central shoot does not grow straight up, but instead leans to the side. However, do not reach for the scissors too quickly, because then the pine tip can branch unfavorably.

  • Straighten center drive
  • create a stable, long pole
  • connect the two together
  • leave the supporting post on for a long time
  • until the center drive is straight and stable

Thin out middle shoots

It happens that an Abies develops several vertical central shoots at the same time. For the typical fir shape, however, only one central shoot is required. In addition, the middle shoots make the tree too top-heavy. As a result, parts of the tree can break off.

  • select a center drive
  • cut off other central shoots
  • preferably in the first year
  • summer is ideal for this

Replace broken pine tip

If the tip of a young tree has broken off, for example during transport, a side shoot must be trained in such a way that it takes over the function of the pine tip in the future. This requires cutting.

  • Shorten the leading drive straight away
  • cut up to the next whorl of branches
  • choose a strong side shoot
  • up vertically
  • fix temporarily with a bamboo stick

conservation cuts

Basically, firs are pleasant garden dwellers. While pruning is a must for other trees every year, firs can do without it. Not only because the loss of their branches would hurt them, but because there is hardly any reason to do so. That's why the scissors are only picked up when something really needs to be cut.

  • remove dry branches
  • Cut back broken branches
  • Shorten side shoots that are too long
  • do so in moderation
  • divert to shorter side shoot
  • slim the tip of the side shoot

With all cutting measures, make sure that the pyramidal shape of the conifer. This form is not only optimal from an optical point of view. It ensures that the lower branches also get enough light and that the tree does not bare.

pruning

The lowest side branches are often just above the ground. A shady seat under a large Abies is therefore impossible. But you can create free space with the pruning shears without hesitation.
Cut all around and close to the trunk. You may cut as many branches as you deem necessary. The fir will not sprout again from the trunk, so the newly created space is permanent. By cutting off entire branches, the overall proportion of the fir is not disturbed.

rejuvenation

If the new growth of an old fir tree is rather modest in relation to the tree size and it is becoming more and more bare, pruning measures should bring the "old man" back to life. But this tree is not so easy to rejuvenate. At least not with one radical cut. Anyone who tries will be rewarded with a bare, mutilated tree. This is hardly intended to be so. The reason for the unsatisfactory result is that the fir no longer sprout from old wood. Pruning into 3 to 4-year-old wood is considered just about feasible. But even then, new growth may not appear or may be delayed.

Since only pruning in the needled area leads to new shoots, a tapered pruning should not be delayed. Divert horizontal shoots at regular intervals to shorter side shoots in good time, and then slim down the tips.

Greek fir, Abies cephalonica

Limit the width

When planting, the future space requirements of firs are often underestimated. That is why some varieties are planted in a garden that is too small or too close to other trees or buildings. Only when the Abies has spread out wide, despite its beauty and possibly still very dense needle dress, are considerations given to making it slimmer. What has already been written about rejuvenation also applies here. If you cut into the old wood, the fir will no longer sprout. Therefore, you should keep an eye on the width of the tree in good time and limit it by regularly and moderately trimming the side branches.

Cut off the pine tip

If a fir is too tall, the question arises as to whether the top of the fir can simply be cut off. But is the solution really that simple? Here the spirits of both hobby gardeners and experts differ. Because over time, there are some disadvantages of this method that you should know beforehand.

Disadvantages of Shortening

A fir tree does not like it when the top part of its crown is removed. As a reaction to this, he drives out several competing shoots. These are also growing at breakneck speed, as if there is something to catch up on. These problems are coming up soon:

  • the problem is only temporarily solved
  • the rapid growth soon makes new cuts necessary
  • Due to several leading drives, pruning measures are becoming more and more extensive
  • the tree also becomes top-heavy due to several leading shoots
  • the stability of the fir is endangered
  • it can easily fall over in heavy storms
  • the optics also suffer from the clipped pine top

For some of the experts there are therefore only two possible ways: leave the fir tree untouched or cut it down completely.

Possible opportunities

If the only alternative is the death of the tree, you can at least risk pruning the pine top. Ultimately, time will tell whether the advocates of this approach are right and whether the tree can be saved in this way. You can cut off the top of the fir tree in these cases:

  • the height of a tree cannot be tolerated
  • the top of the fir tree has already broken off

There is also controversy over whether topping off a diseased tree can save it from being felled. Proponents argue that this reduces needle dress and allows the tree to better take care of the "lesser challenge."

Clarify legal situation

Shortening the tip is mostly considered for firs that have grown too big. However, old trees are often protected by law. Inquire if you're eligible for the cut one permit to need. If so, this must be available before the reduction. Otherwise you risk a fine, which can not be insignificant.

Instructions for trimming the tip

A long, stable ladder is required to shorten a tall fir tree. You need a saw and pruning shears as the cutting tool, and possibly also lifting shears with a telescopic rod.

  1. Choose a pruning date in the winter until at the end of March at the latest. Extensive pruning measures are not permitted at a later date in order not to disturb breeding birds.
  2. Determine the height to which you want to remove the tip. We recommend removing no more than a third of the fir. This applies to both the height and the width.
  3. Cut off the top of the tree with a straight cut.
  4. So that the shortened fir gets a pyramid shape, cut back the side branches accordingly. Make sure you only cut in the needled area, otherwise the fir will not sprout.
  5. Another alternative is to form a new pine top. To do this, select two of the top side branches.
  6. Bend the branches up and tie them into a new tip.
  7. Wait 1-2 years to see how the fir top develops and then cut off the weaker main branch.

tip: If you want to cut the fir tree so that it doesn't cast as much shade, you can also cut off only the lowest branches and leave the top untouched.

Category:

Garden plants