Family Encyclopedia >> Home & Garden

Pruning and safety:what you need to know!

Often, in order to save money, we choose to do the pruning ourselves. Caution is advised, however, because for uninitiated DIYers and gardeners, this task can be very dangerous.

When pruning is essential

Pruning:here is a word that was not even part of my vocabulary a few weeks ago until the Town Hall summoned me to order me to do it as soon as possible. The reason ? Extending far beyond the fences of my property, large branches of my oak tree were seriously beginning to bother passers-by. This is indeed one of the great disadvantages of living on the edge of a public road.

I am very proud of my 100 year old tree with its magnificent, exceptionally lush and bushy lobed foliage. But I had no idea that it would be a problem one day. Without further ado, I immediately inquired about it and I found answers to all my questions on this site which explains everything about tree pruning. I obviously decided not to hang around since the municipality had set a deadline for me to do so.

What's more, I was particularly uncomfortable knowing that a tree in my garden could cause annoyance and inconvenience to pedestrians. So, as soon as the opportunity arose, I brought in a pruner recruited on the internet, before the start of the long winter season, because it would no longer be possible afterwards. Indeed, fall is, it seems, the best time of the year to schedule a pruning. As for me, I had to apologize to the neighbors for the noise caused by the machines used by the professional.

Safety instructions

I was sure everything would be done in an hour at the most, but to my surprise, the work took an entire day. The reason ? According to the legislation in force, we were obliged to take a break at noon, to resume only at 2:30 p.m. And if there were still branches left to cut, after 7:30 p.m., the pruner would have to stop everything and only come back the next day.

This is why I insist a lot on entrusting the pruning of the trees in your gardens to certified service providers with years of experience in this sector of activity. Indeed, the task in itself is quite simply perilous and risky since the pruner is sometimes required to climb very high on the tree to reach the branches concerned. It is therefore not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo.

Afterwards, you also have to know how to handle a chainsaw which, I remind you, is a very dangerous machine. A few minutes of inattention or poor knowledge of the device and a serious accident may occur. I really recommend caution in handling this tool.

Moreover, specially designed for this, a pruning chain saw, or a hydraulic pruner are more suitable for this operation. Some instructions will, among other things, be followed, such as never climbing trees with a cutting tool in motion, for example. Finally, it is essential to wear personal protective equipment, namely:a helmet with visor, very thick gloves, reinforced trousers and safety shoes.