Pruning Standards and Cuts Flashcards
7 cards from real CATS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pruning Standards and Cuts flashcards as text
Which cut is recommended when removing a branch that has formed a distinct branch collar?
Answer: Cut just outside the branch bark ridge and collar
The correct cut follows the angle set by the branch bark ridge on top and stays just outside the collar on the bottom to preserve the tree's natural wound-closure tissues.
What is the main objective of crown thinning?
Answer: Increase light penetration and air movement through the canopy
Crown thinning selectively removes branches throughout the canopy to improve light and air circulation without significantly changing the tree's overall size.
In young tree structural pruning, selecting a dominant central leader typically involves:
Answer: Subordinating competing co-dominant stems by reducing or removing them
Subordination pruning reduces the length of competing stems relative to the selected leader, directing energy to the dominant stem.
The branch bark ridge (BBR) is important because it:
Answer: Marks where the final pruning cut angle should begin on the upper side
The BBR is a raised ridge of bark at the top of the branch union that guides the upper angle of the proper pruning cut.
When pruning oaks in Albuquerque to reduce risk of oak wilt transmission, what timing practice is recommended?
Answer: Avoid pruning during spring when sap-feeding beetles are most active
Nitidulid beetles that vector oak wilt fungus are most active during spring sap flow, so pruning wounds made then are highly attractive to these vectors.
Which statement about wound dressings and pruning paint is consistent with current arboricultural research?
Answer: They are generally not recommended and do not improve wound closure or prevent decay
Research has shown wound dressings do not accelerate compartmentalization or prevent decay and can in some cases trap moisture and promote rot.
A 'heading cut' differs from a 'thinning cut' in that a heading cut:
Answer: Cuts a branch back to a stub or small lateral not large enough to assume dominance
Heading cuts terminate a branch at an arbitrary point or to a small lateral, often stimulating vigorous but weakly attached epicormic growth just below the cut.