Client told me my pruning cuts were 'too clean' and it messed with my head for a week

Last month I was working on a big old oak in Oak Park IL. Homeowner comes out, watches me for like 20 minutes, and says I'm making the cuts too clean. Said trees don't heal like people skin, and my perfect cuts were actually making it harder for the tree to seal over. I was so annoyed at first. But I looked it up and he was right. I was cutting too close to the collar, leaving these super flush cuts. Now I leave a bit more of the branch collar and the callusing looks way more natural. Anyone else get feedback like this that made you change your whole approach?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wendy1mo ago

Cut that branch collar flush with a chainsaw once... learned my lesson real quick.

william_harris1mo ago

Learned my lesson real quick" sums up so much of life, @the_wendy - we all figure out the hard way not to cut corners.

linda_dixon491mo ago

100% thought I was saving time too. My tree hated me.