The Importance of Tree Trimming

Tree trimming enhances the beauty of trees and improves total landscape design. It also provides benefits such as increased fruit or flower production, extending the life of the plant, improving health and safety, and opening views. While it may seem like a big job, professional arborists use equipment and knowledge to prune your plants in an efficient manner that prevents damage. They are also trained to recognize problems and understand the long-term effects of the cuts they make.

The basic purpose of pruning is to remove specific branches that are obstructing vision, interfering with buildings or power lines, reducing light penetration, causing structural damage, or just getting out of control. There are many other objectives as well such as removing dead or diseased branches, opening vistas, repairing storm damage, improving fruit and flower production, and providing clearance for structures and traffic.

Proper pruning is important for a tree’s health, and should always be done by a certified arborist or a professional tree care company. This process includes a careful inspection of the plant to evaluate its structure and condition and determine the proper cut. It should also include removing any dead or dying limbs, stubs from pruning, crossing or rubbing limbs, suckers or water sprouts, limbs with thorns below eye level, and other objectionable growth. A proactive homeowner begins pruning as soon as a tree is planted to remove diseased or damaged wood, and should prune regularly throughout the life of the plant.

While shears and hand-held clippers can be used to cut smaller branches, larger limbs require a chainsaw. In addition, certain plants such as holly and cypress require specialized saws to remove large limbs. When using a chainsaw, it’s important to follow safety guidelines to protect yourself and others, as well as following any plant health care instructions that come with the tool.

Often, when a large tree is improperly pruned, it becomes more susceptible to pests and diseases, and its health will suffer. Incorrectly pruning a tree can also lead to rot and structural damage. A heavy trim can ruin the look of a mature tree, and it may even cause permanent damage.

In the case of smaller plants such as shrubs and ornamental landscape trees, frequent pruning is usually not necessary. However, some shrubs and ornamental landscape trees do benefit from thinning out overgrown branches to promote balanced and shapely growth. Ideally, the frequency of trimming depends on the type of plant and the desired landscape effect, with larger trees requiring maintenance every 3-5 years. For most plants, a good time to prune is in winter when the work is less stressful to the plant. Then, it can begin the recovery process during the dormant season. Be sure to provide sufficient water and nutrients to help the plant to heal properly post-trimming. This is especially true during dry periods.

from TLC Trees and Co https://ift.tt/hI6cA2T