If you have just a few trees in your yard and love them to death (don’t worry, we understand), pruning a tree can be a mixed emotional bag. After all, pruning a tree means causing damage to it, and since you’re damaging it there’s always the chance of something going wrong. A bad cut can be an invitation to disease and insects, as well as creating a spot where water can pool, freeze, and create even worse cracks in your tree.

The end result you’re looking for when shaping a tree is to make the tree stronger, more to your liking and giving it the best chance to grow tall. So don’t let the years you’ve spent keeping the tree healthy go to waste because of a poor cut. Use these gardening products to make the most of your pruning.

Use A Sharp Tool

Using a high-quality tool is the first step to keeping your trees healthy. Pruners, loppers, and saws should be sharp, and you should use the right size of tool for the branch at hand. Don’t use pruners, even ratcheted ones, that are too small for the specific branch. The wrong tool can lead to torn and cracked bark and branches.

...and Keep It Sharp

A dull tool can create a bad cut, leading to insect infestation and airborne diseases. You want to keep your tools as sharp as possible so that the cut is as clean as possible every time. It also makes your work easier!

Use Wound Paint

Whether you’re pruning or grafting, you want to create a barrier that keeps the baddies out of the cut and the entry point you’ve created at the cambium layer under the bark. The best way to do this is with wound paint, a garden product that gives the tree a chance to heal without infection.

Tree trimming can be a challenge, but if you use the right tools you’re one step closer to getting it right. Good luck!