Whenever residents want quality services from St. Augustine’s professional tree pruning provider, they call our licensed arborists at Affordable Tree & Landscape. We answer numerous inquiries from first-time and veteran gardeners about tree growth and the structural integrity of branches and trunks. One of the most common ones we get is how to stop a tree limb from growing back after pruning.
As tree care professionals, we advocate for letting trees grow how nature intended, but we know practicality is important for many clients. Whatever type of tree you have in your yard, your pruning practices will determine whether large branches will loom over your house and cars, threatening them with damage when a storm hits.
We will outline how tree limbs and branches heal in this explainer about plant growth. We will also delineate how to prevent them from returning after cutting so you do not have to pay twice for the same custom pruning job.
How to Stop a Tree Branch from Growing Back After Pruning
As a homeowner, you likely spend time caring for the trees on your property. Pruning and trimming branches is part of regular tree maintenance. However, it can be frustrating when trimmed branches grow back again quickly. If you want to stop a branch from growing after cutting it, there are several effective methods you can use.
Why Tree Branches Grow Back
Before learning how to prevent regrowth, it’s helpful to understand why branches grow back in the first place. When a tree is wounded, either naturally or through pruning, it triggers a self-defense mechanism. The tree produces growth hormones that stimulate new shoots to emerge around the cut area.
The vigorous new shoots help the tree recover its lost foliage quickly. While this regrowth is the tree’s way of protecting itself, it often leads to unwanted branching for homeowners. The key is controlling the tree’s production of growth hormones.
Proper Cutting Technique
How you make the initial pruning cut can influence whether the branch regrows. Making the cut at the proper location on the branch helps limit the tree’s ability to deliver nutrients to that area. Here are some tips for making pruning cuts that discourage regrowth:
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Cut just outside the branch collar – the swollen area where the branch attaches to the trunk
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If possible, cut to just above a bud that is pointed in the direction you want future growth to go.
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Make the cut straight across rather than at an angle. Angled cuts encourage rapid regrowth.
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Avoid leaving branch stubs, which often sprout new shoots.
Cutting branches off cleanly at the right point keeps the tree from being able to easily regrow foliage from that bud. While not completely preventive, it can slow and minimize new shoot development.
Apply Branch Growth Inhibitors
For more assurance that trimmed branches won’t grow back, you can apply a chemical growth inhibitor. These products interrupt the tree’s production of growth hormones to stop it from generating new shoots.
Look for products containing ingredients like napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or dimethylaminocyclohexaneacetic acid (DMCHA). Choose an EPA-registered product labeled for use as a tree sucker growth inhibitor.
Follow the label instructions closely. Growth inhibitors often need to be diluted with water before applying. Use a clean paintbrush to generously coat the cut surface of the branch you want to prevent from regrowing. Two applications may be required for best results.
Remove Entire Limbs
Rather than simply cutting back an overgrown branch, remove the entire limb all the way back to the trunk. This more extensive pruning eliminates the wood tissue that would give rise to new shoots.
Taking out whole unwanted limbs can be more work upfront. But it prevents those branches from repeatedly regrowing after annual trimming. It’s a strategy that can save time and maintenance in the long run.
Control Canopy Density
Sometimes excessive interior branching happens because the tree is searching for light. Branches in the lower and inner portions of the canopy often sprout new shoots seeking sunlight.
You can discourage this growth by thinning the canopy through proper pruning. Create a healthier light balance inside the tree so lower branches are less likely to aggressively regrow each season.
Avoid Over-Pruning
It might be tempting to remove all undesirable branching at once through heavy pruning. But this can actually encourage even more rapid regrowth. Never take off more than 25% of the tree’s overall branches and foliage in one year.
Over-pruning stresses the tree and causes a flush of new shoots as it tries to replace lost greenery. Take a conservative approach, spreading needed pruning over several years.
Be Patient and Persistent
Preventing branch regrowth takes diligence. You’ll need to monitor the tree closely in the seasons after pruning. At the first sign of new shoots from cut branches, snip them off while they are still small.
It may take several years of pruning, monitoring for new growth, and promptly removing any shoots before you get the branching under control. But staying vigilant pays off in limiting unwanted branches.
When to Call a Professional
Trying to stop large, overgrown tree limbs from repeatedly growing back often requires professional expertise. Rather than tackling major limb removal yourself, contact a certified arborist.
Pro arborists have the skills, tools, and experience for large-scale pruning jobs. They can also treat cut branches with medicals specifically designed to halt regrowth on trees. Pruning large trees can be dangerous if not done correctly.
How to Stop Unwanted Branching
While you can’t 100% prevent a pruned tree from ever regrowing branches, you can certainly curb and minimize new shoot development. Proper cutting technique, growth inhibitors, and vigilant monitoring reduce unwanted branching. Your pruned tree will look its best for longer when you control rapid regrowth.
How to Stop a Tree Limb from Growing Back
The key to learning how to stop a tree limb from growing back is reading about how trees deliver nutrients to branches. Branches develop four parts over a year:
- Terminal buds at the tip, where new leaves and extensions might grow
- Nodes where trees save nutrients for a new shoot
- Lateral buds, which are generally thicker after being with the tree for a few seasons
- The bud scale scar, which signifies the tree went through a dormant season
Cut your tree limbs at a straight angle on the node to prevent nutrients from allowing the branch to regrow. Mix an FDA-approved growth regulator with water according to manufacturer specifications and apply it to the limb stub with a brush. Layer on a pruning sealer after a day or two to minimize sap loss and minimize chances of regrowth.
Do All Branches Grow Back After I Cut Them?
As licensed pruners, our tree care professionals are responsible for giving hundreds of deciduous and evergreen trees in St. Augustine a haircut. We are happy to say that when cut correctly, many branches won’t grow back. Mature trees become self-regulating, as they do not stimulate growth in shaded parts of their canopies. When you cut a branch off the lower crown of a tree, it is usually gone for good.
That said, there are caveats. Trees direct their resources and energy to branches with the best chances of survival. They are often at the top. Branches pruned from canopy tips have a higher statistical likelihood of growing back no matter how you cut them.
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FAQ
How do you stop a branch from growing?
There is no product that will stop plants from growing back. They may be coming your way in search of brighter sunlight. If so, putting up your barrier will decrease how much they grow toward you. Any cutting of a tree branch has to take it to the trunk if you don’t want regrowth.
How do I stop my branches from sprouting?
When removing suckers, try to cut them off as close to the base as possible without damaging the trunk or the roots. This will prevent regrowth. You can use sharp pruners or loppers to do this.
How do you seal a tree branch after cutting?
Remove any dirt or debris that would make it difficult to apply the sealant. Apply the Sealant: Use a paintbrush to apply the sealant to the exposed wood. Many sealant containers come with a brush already attached to the underside of the container lid. Be sure to cover all of the bare edges.
What can I put on a cut-down tree to keep it from growing?
Glyphosate: A systemic herbicide that can be applied to the cut surface of the tree after you cut it down. This will help prevent regrowth. Triclopyr: Effective against woody plants, this can be applied in a similar manner to glyphosate. Cutting: Cut the tree down as close to the ground as possible.