By knowing and understanding the basics of tree pruning and trimming, people might be able to handle most of the work by themselves. There are a lot of excellent pruning methods and trimming tips that can help homeowners keep their trees in great shape.
With the right equipment and knowledge, property owners can prune their trees as necessary as possible to maintain their health and appearance, as well as eliminate possible dangerous dead branches and other common problems.
While there are a lot of trimming methods available in the market today, if people want to have a Do-It-Yourself project, they only need to concern themselves with the basics to help them keep everything in order. Alternatively, property owners can hire professionals and not think twice about the idea.
To find out more about pruning, check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruning for more information.
The reason why you need to prune or trim a tree
Trees are usually pruned or trimmed because of these three reasons: Health, Safety, and Aesthetics
Health – Sometimes, it is possible to save an unhealthy or infected tree by pruning away the infected limbs. Thinning the tree’s crown will improve the airflow and can be very beneficial to the plant. If the limbs are rubbing or crossing together, it needs to be pruned or trimmed, or even removed so that they do not fall unexpectedly and become a safety hazard.
Safety – Broken or dead limbs and branches can fall off at any given day or time, which is a severe safety issue. If limbs and branches obstruct people’s vision while driving, they need to be pruned or trimmed away. Branches and limbs usually grow very close to utility or electrical lines. Contact the electrical or service company to handle this issue.
Aesthetics – Trimming and pruning trees can effectively help maintain their appearance and shape. But you should not try to impose an unnatural size or form on the tree. The amount of pruning and trimming that will be needed can seriously damage the plant.
General tips for trimming
It is always best to prune a tree during dormant seasons. Although property owners can technically trim a pine tree any time, it is always better to do during dormant seasons. The only exception is when there is an environmental hazard.
Homeowners need to be conscientious about the size of the tree, especially the branch that needs to be removed. If it is less than five to six centimeters in diameter, cutting them is fine. If it is seven to ten centimeters in diameter, you might want to leave it alone, unless you have a better reason.
Only remove branches that have narrow angles, V-shaped or weak. Retain branches that have a U-shaped angle and looks very strong. Lateral limbs need to be between one-half and three-quarters the diameter of the plant’s stem at the point of attachment. If otherwise, it needs to be removed. When trimming is complete, the ration of height to living crown needs to be two-thirds.
Try removing branches away when they are still young. Young limbs are a lot easier to manage or remove at that point, and the risk of leaving a scar on the plant is a lot lower. Do not trim branches too long or too close. Homeowners should not leave large stubs or remove branch collars. When the temperature gets warm in early spring or late winter, it is a perfect season to take advantage of the conditions to plan a trimming activity.
This practice can help maintain the size of the tree, allow a better light penetration to their crowns, promises a better bloom, minimize any forms of diseases, enhance the overall appearance, and increase the safety around the plant by removing broken and dead limbs and branches.
For more information about how trees are being trimmed, you can check out websites or social media professional trimming companies like Richmond Tree Care for details. Here are some tips for starting a trimming activity.
What branches need to be trimmed on young trees?
There are kinds of growths on trees that need to be trimmed. It includes water sprouts or shots that grows from older branches or trunk, crossing limbs, root suckers, or shoots that grow from roots, as well as double leaders or two main stems with equal size. Some lower branches need to be removed to help raise the plant’s crown.
When trimming a limb, the cut needs to be sharp and clean to be made outside the limb without leaving stubs. Branch collars are trunk tissues that surround the branch’s base at the point of attachment. Large limbs that form the main structure of the tree crown or scaffold branches needs to be trimmed if they are going too closely spaced to the trunk.
Limbs need to be cleaned, so they are spaced at least twelve to eighteen inches and distributed around the trunk evenly. They also need to have wide crotch angles. If the branch grows a more parallel to its trunk, it is better to prune them. As a rule of thumb, homeowners need to trim the tree no more than at least one-third of the plant’s total crown at one time.
Want to know about the anatomy of trees? Click here to find out more.
Can you prune a “bleeding” tree?
The answer is a resounding yes. Trimming deciduous trees like yellowwood, willow, beech, hornbeam, black walnut, maples or birches when the temperature of the area is above freezing can produce an excess flow of sap from a newly cut end. Although the cut end might “bleed” and pleasant to look at, they do not cause any forms of harm to the plant’s health.
How much does the process cost?
If property owners want to keep their landscaping more attractive, they need to consider having their trees properly pruned and trimmed. It can help remove broken and dead limbs and help keep the plants healthy. The cost of this process depends on different factors, but it especially depends on whether the owner has to do it by themselves or hire professionals to do it for them.