Table 3. Main characteristics of study branches. Numbers (N) and mean vertical diameters (measured in 2004 over bark) are presented for living, dead, and all branches in total and separately for different pruning treatments (standard deviations in parentheses and ranges between minimum and maximum values). Cumulative radial increments (over bark) of felled study trees at the height of each branch during five to six growing seasons were also determined for all branches.
    N of branches Branch diameter, mm Radial increment, mm
Pruning method Pruning date All  Living Dead  All branches Living branches Dead branches All branches
Mean (SD) Range Mean (SD) Range Mean (SD) Range Mean (SD) Range
Secateurs 19.3. 146 43 103 15.6 (4.3) 4–29 14.9 (3.6) 8–24 15.9 (4.5) 4–29 20.3 (3.4) 12.5–28.2
Saw 19.3. 119 39 80 16.1 (5.8) 5–40 16.5 (4.6) 10–31 15.9 (6.3) 5–40 18.8 (3.2) 12.5–24.9
Secateurs 29.4. 129 69 60 13.8 (4.9) 4–36 15.9 (4.2) 10–36 11.3 (4.4) 4–22 18.8 (2.5) 12.8–24.1
Secateurs 3.6. 131 78 53 15.0 (4.9) 4–32 16.2 (4.1) 9–32 13.1 (5.3) 4–27 22.1 (5.4) 12.8–31.6
Secateurs 23.6. 128 55 73 14.1 (4.9) 5–34 14.9 (3.3) 9–23 13.6 (5.7) 5–34 18.1 (3.9) 13.4–27.7
Secateurs 15.7. 119 54 65 13.9 (4.0) 5–25 15.4 (3.8) 10–25 12.7 (3.8) 5–22 14.9 (3.1) 7.3–20.4
Saw 15.7. 125 68 57 17.4 (7.3) 4–50 19.1 (5.6) 10–32 15.4 (8.6) 4–50 18.8 (5.8) 7.4–30.1
Secateurs 5.8. 125 67 58 15.7 (5.0) 5–34 16.8 (4.7) 8–34 14.3 (5.0) 5–29 17.2 (3.3) 12.4–25.2
Secateurs 26.8. 99 50 49 14.6 (4.9) 4–35 16.7 (4.7) 9–35 12.5 (4.3) 4–24 17.9 (4.6) 9.2–25.3
Saw 26.8. 114 37 77 16.1 (6.1) 5–40 19.6 (5.7) 12–40 14.4 (5.6) 5–30 15.2 (1.8) 11.5–18.3
Secateurs 16.9. 123 44 79 14.1 (5.2) 4–35 14.5 (3.3) 9–24 13.9 (6.1) 4–35 17.6 (2.9) 13.0–23.5
Stick autumn 2004 78 - 78 11.2 (4.2) 3–25 - - 11.2 (4.2) 3–25 15.6 (2.3) 10.0–20.4
Stick spring 2005 85 - 85 10.2 (3.0) 4–16 - - 10.2 (3.0) 4–16 14.8 (2.1) 11.8–21.9
Control no pruned 116 36 80 9.3 (4.0) 2–21 12.9 (3.1) 7–21 7.8 (3.2) 2–17 18.4 (4.4) 7.3–26.4
ALL DATA 1637 640 997 14.3 (5.5) 2–50 16.2 (4.6) 7–40 13.0 (5.6) 2–50 18.0 (4.2) 7.3–31.6