All too often, trees are planted, watered for the first year or two, and then ignored. They are on their own and often survive and grow unattended for several years with no apparent problems. Unfortunately, many of these neglected trees have a shorter useful life span. Before they reach maturity, many are damaged by storms or other stresses. Many have structural defects that can be traced back to improper pruning or no pruning at all.
Trees resist the entry of wood-rotting organisms by forming barriers.
The branch collar and raised strip of bark, the branch bark ridge, mark this boundary between the branch and trunk. Pruning cuts should be made to the outside of the branch bark ridge and collar. Flush cuts are not recommended because they violate the protection zone and leave large wounds. The answer is proper pruning throughout the life of the tree. The absence of foliage makes it easy to see the structure of deciduous trees and easier to remove appropriate branches.