How to Trim a Skyline Honey Locust

Trim away any dead or broken branches from the tree's canopy. Use hand pruners to remove dead or damaged branch tissues, making the cut 1/4- to 1/2-inch above a lower, healthy branch junction, or leaf or dormant bud. If the branch needing pruning is greater than 3/4-inch in diameter, use loppers to make clean, effective cuts.

Look through the branching canopy of the tree in the fall, trimming out any twiggy branches growing inward toward the center of the tree, or limbs that rub against other branches. Make cuts with hand pruners 1/4- to 1/2-inch above the twig's attachment to main branches or the trunk.

Thin out the numerous side branches sprouting from main branches in the tree's canopy, as needed. This selection of honey locust for the most part is naturally well structured and develops an open habit. Scan branches to look for weak branch junctions such as those with a crotch angle less than 45 degrees, or if two side branches occur directly opposite each other. These situations call for thinning (removal) of side branching so crotch angles are at 45 degrees or more and side branching is distributed in an alternating fashion. Make pruning cuts 1/4- to 1/2-inch above the side branches' attachment to the main branch or trunk.