Category: Tree Cutting Tips

Do you like mangoes? — My wild guess, at least 95% will answer yes. This sweet, succulent fruit with a unique flavor and enticing aroma has effortlessly conquered the world. And those of us living in warmer climates take up the challenge of growing a mango tree in our garden. Today, we’re sharing some of our tried and tested tips on pruning a mango tree.

A mango tree, or Mangifera Indica, is a tall evergreen fruit tree that can grow up to 50-60 feet (15-18 meters) and has a lifespan of over 100 years.

It has small pinkish flowers with a distinct and gentle fragrance. There are many varieties of mango, but overall we can identify 2 distinct types: ‘Indian’ and ‘Southeast-Asian’.

Besides being sinfully delicious, mango is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Including mango in your diet will help maintain cholesterol levels, cleanse the skin, improve eyesight, and even lose weight.

So you want to have a mango tree in your garden. Good for you.

What we need to know to grow a mango tree

Temperatures. Mango is a tropical fruit tree, so it grows only in tropical or subtropical climates. Temperatures lower than 30° F (1° C) can kill or damage a mango tree severely. Hot and humid are the best conditions for it.

However, some enthusiasts contrive to grow a mango tree in the UK, which is an impressive accomplishment.

Unfortunately, those mango trees are not likely to produce fruit, they can’t thrive in northern climates.

Planting. Mango trees are grown from saplings, but you can try doing it from a seed. The best time for planting a mango tree is in summer. The young tree will love the combination of rainy and sunny days.

The planting season can vary for different species, so the best way is to check with the nursery where you bought the sapling.

Find a sunny spot for your mango tree and make sure it has enough space to grow. Those guys get large. Mango trees thrive in direct sunlight.

Growing conditions. As we’ve already mentioned, a mango tree needs lots of sunlight. It also requires a lot of water. Regular and copious irrigation is critical for healthy growth and further fruit production.

Mango trees don’t need fertilizer. You can, though, use a potassium-rich product to boost the growth.

To prune or not to prune

Pruning mango trees is essential for several reasons.

Mango is a tall tree. If you don’t prune it, you risk growing a giant (taller than 15 meters) in the garden. So you need to redirect its energy from trying to reach the sky to more ‘down-to-earth’ goals like fruit production.

When you prune a mango tree, you give it a proper shape. You cut horizontal and vertical branches and create a perfect form in terms of both aesthetics and productivity.

Pruned mango trees bear higher quality products. Untrimmed trees have much lower-quality fruit.

If you prune a mango tree, it will be less prone to fungal diseases, which otherwise can be a pain.

And finally, pruning mango trees ensures more sunlight streaming through the foliage of the tree and more air circulation for all its parts.

So it’s decided: we need to prune. Let’s get equipped for that.

What tools do you need to prune correctly and not injure your mango tree (spoiler alert: the same as for pruning your lemon tree):

1. Pruning shears
2. Lopping shears
3. Pruning saw
4. Gardening gloves

3 pruning milestones for a mango tree

There are three times when it is critical to prune a mango tree, and you don’t want to miss any of them.

• First pruning. Initial shaping and directing the growth of the young tree is very important. It should happen when the initial height reaches 1.0 m.

Cut the main shoot to a height of 0.6-0.7 m with pruning shears. The cut should be made below the ‘ring of buds’ (a bud capable of developing into a brunch).

Cut some lower branches. You’ll encourage the horizontal growth of the young mango tree. It should grow to a manageable size, and with the first pruning we prompt horizontal branches to grow and vertical branches — to slow down a bit. A more spreading tree — that’s the goal.

• Second pruning. A young mango tree is pruned for the second time immediately after the first harvest. It usually happens in the second or third year after the planting.

By pruning, you are preparing the tree for the next season. Young trees show good health after this pruning.

This time use lopping shears. Cut the diseased branches to prevent any infection spread, then cut large branches — larger than 5 cm in diameter. Cut the low-hanging branches (1.2 m and lower). It’s called ‘skirting’, and it reduces harvest loss and tree loss.

During the second pruning, you also cut vertical branches to prevent overgrowth. As for horizontal ones, cut some side branches up to 0.5 m, it will stimulate fruit production. Horizontal branches typically bear better fruit.

Cut some large branches to make sure that the tree has enough air circulation and is open to the sun. That’s an important part of pruning mangos — let them breathe and bask in the sun.

• Third pruning. Do it 2-4 weeks before the flowering season. It’s essential to keep the timing to avoid crop loss.

Use pruning saws for that one. Cut one of the main branches every year, as you want to direct more energy to the fruit growth and not to the record height of your tree. This procedure is called a ‘thinning cut’. Cut the branch down to the trunk.

Trim the side branches. You need to prevent the side branches from reaching the other plants and trees in the garden. Leave at least 0.5 m between your mango trees and other plants.

Don’t forget to remove diseased or dead branches. This should be a part of any maintenance pruning.

‘Clean up’ the tree by removing dead twigs and side branches that take up space and don’t allow the young mango tree to breathe.

To recap…

We walked you through the critical steps you should make after planting a mango to ensure its healthy and long life. After the 3 prunings that we told you about, you don’t need to continue doing it regularly. Just basic maintenance pruning, and it will thrive and provide delicious goodness.

When should mango trees be pruned?

There are 3 essential times for that: when the tree reaches 1.0 m in height, then after the first harvest, and 2-4 weeks before the flowering time.

How much can you prune a mango tree?

Prune your tree moderately: 25-30% of the canopy or the width of the tree. After a more severe trimming, the tree can reduce or stop production for a couple of seasons.

How do you prune a mature mango tree?

Mature trees need basic maintenance: remove dead branches, make sure there are no diseased branches, and that there is enough air and sun for the tree (you may need to cut some branches, creating shade for the others).

Can you over prune a mango tree?

Yes, you can. You can cut too many branches and injure the tree. If mango trees are cut too heavily, they stop bearing fruit for a couple of years.

Can you cut the top off a mango tree?

You can do it after several years of bearing fruit. It’s even recommended to cut back the tops. They shouldn’t grow taller than 4.6 m.

The mimosa tree is a stunning sight of flower flashes, often compared to starfall or fireworks. This small to medium fast-growing mimosa tree blooms with the most beautiful pink flowers in the height of summer.

The Mimosa tree is known as the “don’t touch me” plant, which closes trees’ leaves when you touch them. Height reaches just over 20-30 feet and has an extremely invasive nature.

Let’s find out how to kill a mimosa tree and its root systems.

What is a mimosa tree?

The pink mimosa tree pom-poms are very eye-catching. These trees started as landscape plants but have escaped cultivation and migrated to natural areas where they compete with native vegetation.

Mimosa trees appear in late spring and early summer on the tips of tree branches.

The tree rarely grows above 40 feet and its branches grow horizontally on top of the trunk. The flowers are fern-like leaves.

The tree has been imported as an ornamental plant from Asia and attracts gardeners with its fragrant and beautiful flowers. However, the maintenance of mimosa trees proved to be more difficult than expected.

The trees produce thousands of seeds every year. Since seeds require scarification, they can remain in the soil for many years and remain viable. Seedlings are often weak and weedy, sometimes referred to as weeds.

The Mimosa tree also reproduces vegetatively. The tree produces shoots around it that can grow into unsightly tangles that are difficult to eradicate.

It is also challenging to get rid of a mimosa tree after it has grown. Also, plants are not at all afraid of either hot or dry weather.

The only force of nature that effectively gets rid of seedlings is cold. A good frost can destroy it, so in the north, you rarely see weeds or trees growing along the sides of the roads.

How to kill a mimosa tree

The best way to control trees is not to plant them in your yard, or if you have already planted the tree, remove them before they sprout.

Here are some of the most popular methods to kill a mimosa tree:

Mimosa tree cutting

Cutting down mimosa trees at ground level is an effective way, but the trunks will grow back. Re-pruning or herbicide treatment is required to prevent re-emergence.

You can cut down a mimosa tree with a chainsaw or chop down the tree with an ax and be sure to treat the stump with herbicide. Using a strong herbicide will kill a mimosa tree.

Girdling

Girdling is also an effective way to get rid of mimosa trees by removing the outer branches. It is necessary to cut off a tree’s bark about 6 inches above the ground level. You need to cut deep. This method will kill the top of the tree, but sprouts often appear and subsequent treatment with a foliar herbicide may be required.

Foliar spraying with systemic herbicides

You can also take control of a mimosa tree by spraying the leaves with systemic herbicides.

Only applicable if the foliage of the mimosa tree is within reach of the sprayer. For this method, you will need a backpack sprayer and an herbicide. Spray the entire tree, including the trunk, branches, and foliage and you can kill a mimosa tree.

Follow the rules of Foliar Spraying :

1. Wear protective gear when using this method.
2. Make sure there is no wind when doing this as the herbicide will spread. The leaves of the mimosa tree must be dry before spraying the herbicide to maximize uptake.
3. After spraying the foliage with herbicide on the tree, the procedure must be repeated. Because the tree has invasive nature, it will take several coats of herbicide to kill a mimosa tree.

The herbicide will be absorbed by the leaves of the tree and transported to the roots and kill a mimosa tree over time.

Attention! Any advice regarding chemicals is for informational purposes only. Chemical processes should only be used as a last resort, as biological approaches are safer and more environmentally friendly.

Basal bark treatment

Suitable: if the diameter of the trunk is less than 6-7 centimeters.

For this method, you will need a chemical sprayer, a strong herbicide, and an oil-based solvent.

Ideally, herbicides containing triclopyr or an ester of triclopyr as the main chemical should be selected, or herbicides based on imazapyr should be used.

The solvent for mixing the herbicide can be diesel, basal oil, fuel oil, or kerosene. The ideal mixing ratio is 1 part herbicide to 4 parts solvent, i.e. concentration is about 20-25%.

The treatment process of the basal cortex

1. Spray the bottom 20 inches of the mimosa tree with this solution and let it dry.
2. Then you need to repeat this process.

Make sure the wood is not wet when doing this technique, as the chemicals are hydrophobic, which means they won’t be absorbed as effectively.

Chemical injection

Suitable: if the diameter is over 7 inches.

For this method, you will need a drill and herbicide.

chemical injection process:

1. Drill holes 2-3 inches deep around the circumference of the tree about 2-3 feet above the ground.
2. Make the hole angle down.
3. Apply a strong herbicide to these holes and let it soak in.
4. Repeat the process after about an hour. Add more herbicides to increase the effectiveness of this method.

If the tree has multiple trunks, drill holes and apply herbicide to each one.

Reasons why you should not buy a silk tree (Mimosa tree)

First, like most fast-growing trees, mimosa is notoriously short-lived, prone to a variety of pests, and can die quickly.

Second, after the flowers have faded, the tree will grow hundreds of bean-shaped brown pods 6 inches long that hang from each branch.

The seed pods persist throughout the winter, even after the tree has shed its leaves.

Few trees look as ugly or more abandoned.

Each of these pods is filled with seeds, and each of them germinates somewhere, even in cracks in the pavement. Plant one mimosa in your yard, and soon every house in your neighborhood will have two or three mimosas.

Mimosa adapts to almost any well-drained ground and conditions. That’s why you see it growing on almost every highway and country road in the South.

Problems and care of a mimosa tree

If you still decide to grow mimosa, you may encounter some problems such as the following.

Spider worms are a common problem on these trees. The silk web wraps the tufts of leaves together, and the caterpillars inside this web eat the leaves.

Solution: if possible, cut and destroy cobwebs and damaged leaves.

Spray the tree trunk thoroughly with garden oil in early March to kill the pupating larvae.

Another problem you may encounter when growing mimosa is wilting. The leaves turn yellow and fall from early to mid-summer. Tree branches die within a few months.

Solution: remove the infected trees and not plant new mimosas in the same place.

FAQs

What will kill mimosa?

Glyphosate and triclopyr are the most effective options to kill a mimosa, but they must be mixed with a non-ionic surfactant to successfully penetrate the leaves. Use herbicides carefully, as they will kill other plants in the immediate area.

Do mimosa trees have invasive roots?

The root system of mimosa has invasive nature. The root system spreads widely, releasing shoots far from the original tree, forming thickets in some places.

How deep are mimosa tree roots?

Mimosas have shallow roots that grow only 2 feet deep.

Should I cut down my mimosa tree?

If you want to prune your mimosa and control its growth, prune it after flowering, but no later than late summer, as next year’s flowers develop in autumn. You can also find frost-damaged shoots in winter, lightly prune them back to living wood.

Can you cut the top off a mimosa tree?

If you want to trim the top of the mimosa, it should be trimmed after flowering. It is not recommended how to cutting tree branches strongly, otherwise, the mimosa may die.

Can you plant a mimosa tree close to the house?

When planting a mimosa plant, keep it at least 10 to 20 feet away from your home or structure. Trees will grow in conditions from full sun to partial shade.

Conclusion

Trees are very beautiful to any landscape. The powerful root system of the tree is capable of lifting and splitting concrete if it is planted too close to sidewalks or roadways.

You can kill mimosa trees by different methods.

A small tree, less than 10 feet, can be destroyed using the leaf spray method. Also, young mimosas are much easier to kill than mature trees.

Unwanted seedlings scattered by wind or animals can be removed by uprooting the entire plant once it is large enough to grab.

You can use a basal bark treatment or a chemical injection method for larger trees to kill a mimosa.

Alternatively, you can also cut down the tree and treat the remaining stump with herbicide.

The knowledge of how to cut a tree down close to a house is very important. Having a tree growing next to your home is a wonderful experience – to watch it grow and become stronger, maybe even put a swing on its branches and tell your kids about the change of seasons on the example of that tree.

However, sometimes removing trees can be dangerous too – when growing too close to the property, when getting infected, when having branches too heavy, etc.

Removing trees, especially close to the estate, requires concentration and care.

This is why we prepared a short guide for you on how to cut a tree down close to a home.

Why should I remove a tree that is growing too close to the house?

Before you dive into this dangerous adventure of tree removal near a house, let’s look through what can be your kick start to do so with proper tools.

Your tree trunk can be decaying or even dead.

This kind of tree is highly susceptible to storm damage and is generally way weaker than average.

And whilst most things come and go unnoticed, these tree falls can put on quite a messy show if a tree falls on something standing nearby, like a house.

Being an unpleasurable thing for the property owners.

Decaying or dying tree is a favorite spot for the insects – it provides them with both food and roof, leaving nothing to dream for.

As great news as it is to insects, property owners can be disturbed by these little guests making their way into the close to your house when wandering around the area.

Root system breaking through the house foundation.

A strong and intricate tree falls root system is the beneficial protective glove for any tree but can pose a threat to the house foundation when growing too close to it.

They also can put other features of your house and your landscape in fall jeopardy; thus the roots should gain extra attention when removing a tree to right equipment.

How to cut down a large tree near a house?

Once you estimated the situation well and decided that taking the tree in the direction down is exactly the right thing to do, here are the steps you can follow to make the process nice and smooth.

• First, remove tree branches with a chainsaw

You would prefer to start from the lower and going all the way up; this way it prevents the upper falling branches from clashing with lower ones and reduce the risk of them getting broken.

• It is highly recommended to tie a rope

Around the large branches before cutting them free, as it gives you more control and enables you to lower the ladder the branches cut on the ground slowly and carefully.

The trunk is to be cut in small sections

Moving from the ladder from the top down to the ground. The higher the section is, the harder it falls when being cut down and left to fall freely ladder. Such falls can easily result in an injury of a performer or property damage with chainsaw. Important to know a way of cutting down the felled tree in sections with chainsaw.

Once you have gotten rid of the branches and the trunk you can trim the remained stump with a chainsaw or remove the stump completely (best chainsaw).
To ensure the safety of the estate foundation and landscape integrity, extract the roots with extra attention.

We strongly advise consulting a professional on the condition of the felled tree and the share of the root system that is to be removed.

In addition, they can provide you additional safety equipment, such pull as the larger trees root barriers, to prevent any further possible damage by free firewood.

All in all, it is not that hard to learn how to cut a tree close down close to a home. However, the experience might still be unpleasant back cut, especially if you are not used to working with lateral branches and trees.

Helpful Video: How to Cut a Tree Down Close to a House

In this video, you will see the reliable way to safely cut a tree down close to a house.

To save

Yourself some trouble and possibly prevent the necessity of cutting a tree down, before planting your next tree, get familiar with the specifics of the type of tree you are about to lateral branches.

Falling Branches

Now that you’ve cut off the lower branches, set up your tripod ladder, or use a rope to secure your extension ladder to the lower branches tree you’re cutting. Then, use your reciprocating saw to cut off the upper lower branches.

Rather than climb the v shaped notch with the saw in hand, tie a rope to the handle of the saw and bring the rope up with you.

Once you’ve reached the upper portion of the freestanding ladder, haul the saw up to yourself.

• If you’re using an extension ladder, use a rope to tie it in place against the tree to prevent the extension ladder from slipping and falling while you work.
• Use your reciprocating saw to cutting blades off upper branch.
• Use a rope to safely lower large branches.

When cutting large branches that may fall and damage your home, tie a rope around the lower branches. Then, wrap the other top lateral branches end around another tree trunk free firewood, at ground level.

With assistance from 1 or more other workers, unwrap the top lateral branches around the tree trunk and slowly lower the large branch to the ground. Remember to never wrap the rope around your hand or fingers when lower branches.

A rope pulled tight around your fingers by the weight protective gloves of a large branch can cause serious injury.

Fell the tree removal

Now that the tree near has been de-limbed v shaped notch, you’ll be left with just the trunk standing in your yard. In order to take down the trunk:

• Use the chainsaw to cut a right-angle notch in the tree trunk ground level, in the direction you want it to fall.
• The notch should be deep enough that it is 1/4–1/3 through the tree near diameter.
• Ensure all people and obstacles are clear from the path of the falling tree near ladder.
• Use the chainsaw to cut through the tree near from the opposite side, toward the notch.
• Remain clear of the tree’s fall path at all times. Establish exit routes and remain alert while cutting blades lean.
• If the trunk is too tall to safely ground level fell in one piece, cut it into sections. Climb your freestanding ladder to notch and cut the trunk and branch at a point 10 feet above the ground. You can safely fell a large tree trunk in two pieces this way pull line.

If you have an assistant, attach a rope to the top branches of the tree trunk lean. As you are making your felling cut, your helper should haul on the rope to help direct the tree’s falling path.

Ensure that your assistant is safely out of the tree’s fall zone when doing so pull line. Make sure they stand back cut at a distance twice the height of the large tree to prevent injury.

When Should You Contact an Arborist?

You might not have the right tools to remove a large tree near your home.

You also might not have much experience using the tools for this purpose pruning saw.

In the event either or both are the case, reach out to an arborist in your area.

Learning how to use a chainsaw while on an extension ladder is not the best idea.

Without the proper tools or required experience, contacting professionals for tree removal is the way to go slanted cut.

Contact several local professional tree removal directions before you decide on one chainsaw.

You can look at remain safe online to help you make your decision slanted cut.

You can also talk to a neighborhood app you trust and see if they can refer you to a professional tree removal direction remain safe that worked well for them serious injury.

How Can You Tell if Your Lawn has Fertilizer Burns?

Fertilizer burns are characterized by patches of grass in a recently fertilized lawn that appears yellow or brown.

These burns can appear 1-2 days after fertilizer application but point may take as long as 2 weeks to appear.

After fertilization ground level, water your lawn regularly rope and monitor grass conditions.

• Fertilizer burns may appear in as little as 1 day or up to 2 weeks after you spread fertilizer.
• Burns appear as yellow or brown patches of grass in your lawn.
• Grass burned by fertilizer stump killer may take on a “streaky” appearance and will be dry.

Grass that seems dry, brittle, or begins to show streaks of yellow or brown after fertilization is probably suffering from fertilizer burns.

If this happens, begin daily watering of the affected area immediately.

What Causes Fertilizer Burns in Grass?

Fertilizer burns are caused by excess nitrogen in the soil hard hat.

When too much nitrogen is present from fertilizer, it soaks up moisture, even pulling it out of the roots and stems of grass.

This contributes to the yellowing, browning, and stump killer of grass.

• Excess nitrogen from fertilizer absorbs water from the soil and grass roots.
• Nitrogen overload creates a “false drought,” starving grass of water.

Essentially, excess nitrogen creates drought conditions because it steals water that would otherwise feed your grass hard hat. Like any drought, the best solution is to provide water.

Chapter FAQ

How do you cut down a tree that is close to a house?

Large Tree removal near houses requires taking proper safety precautions and following steps to ensure the removal process goes smoothly.

In order to get rid of a large tree that is over 20 feet tall near your house:

• Clear the area of vehicles and items that may be damaged by falling branch or trunk sections.
• Use a chainsaw and employ the 3 cut method to safely remove large lower branches.
• Use a reciprocating saw to remove tripod ladder upper branch.
• Notch your large tree and branch in the direction you want it to fall. Then, cut from the opposite side, toward the notch, to fell tripod ladder.
• Cut the stump flush with the ground and treat it with a stump killer.
• Saw felled trunk and branch into forearm-length sections for firewood or disposal.

These steps ensure the safe and efficient removal of an entire large tree and branch.

By using ropes to secure branches before cutting, you can lower them slowly to the ground, preventing falling branches from damaging your home and neighborhood app.

Should you cut down trees close to your house?

If they interfere with you or violate the norms, then yes, the large tree needs to be cut down.

How do you cut down a tree with limited space?

The best way for this is the method of sawing in parts. The main meaning of it is that you cut down the tree in parts, from 60 to 100 centimeters container plants.

How do you cut down a tree and get it to fall where you want?

Pay attention to factors such as weather, soil, and the center of gravity of the tree. Make a cut first from the front side and then from the back.

Conclusion

You need to cut down a tree next to the home very carefully, observing all the rules and all of the above. You can do this both independently and with the help of special services.

We hope that our article was useful for you.