There aren’t many better stories of freedom and grace than the one that forest tree tells us standing tall and strong. In the forest, trees grow freely by their own rules. They spread and stretch themselves as they grow. And when they decide to get rid of some old limbs and branches, they them down the hill.
It’s not the same thing with the trees we have in our gardens and along the streets. They’re not as nearly free as the trees in forests, and for good reasons, mainly for our safety and wellbeing. We take care of them the best way we can, ensuring they look as natural as possible. We also want them to grow strong and not become a safety risk. That’s why we prune them regularly.
Although many homeowners feel tempted to do the tree trimming themselves, there are many reasons why it’s best to be left to experts. This is everything you need to know about pruning and why it’s best to be done by professional tree service companies.
Why Is Tree Pruning Important?
Trees need to be pruned for multiple reasons. Although they can grow without pruning, this routine landscape service allows trees to reach their full potential and live a long life. Investing in professional tree pruning services always results in better looking and better-performing trees.
Important for Tree Health
Removing dead, dying and diseased branches, as well as branches that rub together, is very important for the overall tree health. Opening up the canopy lets air and light get to the entire tree, which decreases the risk for diseases and increases foliage.
Trimming allows you to establish one main tree, a dominant leader, by removing ground-level water sprouts that weaken the wood and steal its nutrients. This is important if you want to create a strong tree, able to withstand winds and storms.
Important for Tree Look
Imagine you do so much work to have a beautifully landscaped garden, from plants and flowers to paths and lighting. And then there’s a tree that ruins the whole view. Landscaping doesn’t just work that way. You need to consider all assets, including trees. By pruning a tree, you can encourage the fruiting and flowering in a shape and size that fits your needs and landscape. That way you can give it the looks you envision.
Safety Reasons
Safety reasons are often overlooked when it comes to tree pruning. When we think of safety assessments, we usually think of risk assessments. Yet, many of the risk related concerns that come later in a life of a tree can be prevented by regular pruning.
Well-pruned trees are healthier and stronger. Therefore, they’re safer for the environment. Dead limbs and weak trees are all danger to both people and properties.
Thinning the tree crown can be vital if you live in a place where storms and hurricanes occur more often. Top-heavy trees tend to fall easier and falling branches can damage properties and the plants below them.
Tree Pruning Methods
There are many ways for pruning the trees and they all involve the tree crown. This is because crown health is vital for producing leaves for photosynthesis. Without a healthy crown, the whole tree will weaken over time. These are the four main ways to prune a tree:
1. Crown Thinning
This is the most common procedure performed on mature trees. Thinning the crown involves removing branches that are alive to reduce the overall tree density. This increases air circulation and allows the sunlight to penetrate all branches.
2. Crown Raising
Removing the lower branches raises the crown from the bottom edge. It clears up space for traffic, buildings, or a view. This process should be done gradually over a longer period, as removing too many low branches at once can weaken the tree.
3. Crown Reduction
As topping trees isn’t considered a safe and healthy tree procedure, crown reduction is its gentle alternative. Topping often includes removing the whole tree crown to its body or a few main branches. Crown reduction, however, removes the branches to the lateral one. The lateral one then becomes a part of a new tree crown when growth begins in spring. Reducing the crown is common for older trees. It strengthens them and encourages new growth.
4. Crown Cleaning
Cleaning means removing dead branches and limbs. It can be done at any time, and also as a part of all the procedures mentioned above.
Reasons Why You Should Hire a Tree Surgeon
You can easily conclude that you can do the pruning after watching several DIY videos on YouTube. But in real life, it’s not as easy as it seems since tree pruning is both a science and art. These are some of the reasons why you should hire an arborist:
It will keep your trees healthy and alive
Tree surgeons have expertise in tree care services. They have all the knowledge and experience needed for proactive tree care. They know what method to use to get the best results for healthier, good-looking trees. It’s not easy to catch the early signs of disease and to act accordingly. They understand trees and do everything to treat them, having your needs in mind.
It will protect you from damage and injuries
Trimming may seem easy. Yet, climbing on trees and managing heavy branches isn’t easy at all. You can fall and hurt yourself or cause yourself a bigger injury. Falling branches can easily damage something on other people’s property. And then, instead of paying for professionals, you’ll end up paying for the damage you caused.
Professional tree surgeons have the proper equipment and tools needed for all kinds of tree services. They’re experienced and know how to get the job done with minimum damage caused. And if something happens, they have liability insurance to take full responsibility for it. They also have all the permits for tree works, so you won’t end up responsible before the law for damaging an important tree.
To Sum Up
The tree pruning is one of the main tree procedures that require professional care. Professionals that provide the pruning services are full of expert knowledge and experience that’s needed for the job to be done well and safely. Hiring an arborist for trimming can only be beneficial for you and the trees around you. Make sure to hire the right people and enjoy your beautifully landscaped garden and street.
