I bought my house last November and the previous owners trimmed some low branches from a pine tree of some sort in the front yard. They left some rather long branch stubs and, they must have done this years ago, there is quite a bit of growth around the stubs now. It looks like the tree has tumors with tree branches growing out of it. Needless to say, it is very unsightly. Is there anything I can do to fix it?
Right outside my back door is another large pine type tree where the branches sag toward the ground. I would like to trim the bottom few rows so I can put a garden bench or something underneath, not to mention that I always get freaked out thinking that there is someone hiding behind it. Is there a best time to prune these branches?
Late winter (now) is a good time to prune pine trees. Saw off the stubby branches close to the trunk, but leave the “collar”. That’s the wrinkled bark that grows near the trunk. And yes you can uplift your tree in the back yard. If you have any oak, elm, or maple trees, the new recommendation is to wait until spring when they have started to bud out before you trim.
You definitely do want to do something about it. All of that growth is weak and doesn’t do much for the tree. Had they left a dead stub, you’d be inviting possible heart rot that could lead to the tree being so rotten inside it is dangerously fragile. Trim the stubs back to just before the branch collars, which are the thickened rings of bark at the bases of the stubs. As the tree continues to grow, the bark will slowly close over the wounds and seal them. Do not damage the collars, and don’t cut them off either.
If you decide to open up the pine then you should follow the same procedure.