Regularly pruning your trees is beneficial for their growth and health. It also helps keep you, your property, and your neighbourhood safe. We’ll discuss some of the best reasons to keep on top of pruning your trees and have a look at best practices for tree pruning.
Safety First
The most important reason for regular tree maintenance is, of course, safety. Dead or diseased branches could fall at any time causing injuries or property damage, and unruly trees could encroach on power lines. This creates serious fire and electrocution hazards.
Because of this, removing dangerous limbs and maintaining a safe, manageable tree is always a good idea. But if the tree is very large or the tree surgery could bring you into close proximity with power lines, the job is too dangerous to do yourself. If you are at all worried about the safety of a pruning job, call a professional to take care of it.
Encouraging Good Growth and Structure
Pruning a tree also influences the way it grows and develops. By following correct pruning practices and pruning at the right time, you can help your tree to flourish and maintain structural integrity. By encouraging a good configuration of limbs and a strong canopy, you will maintain the tree’s structure. This reduces the risk of broken limbs and falling branches.
A properly pruned tree will not have compromising branch structures and improper weight distribution that could lead to disaster later on in its life.
Don’t Forget Aesthetics
If aesthetics are important to you, pruning can also help you shape your trees in the fashion you like, whether that’s compact and shrub-like or a little more unkempt and flowing. Maintenance can help keep your tree to look healthy and lush for its whole life.
Keep Your Trees Manageable
Trees that are left unpruned can become unruly and huge. This can make them dangerous and vulnerable to disease. If you have fruit trees, not pruning them will lead to inferior fruit and make harvesting difficult. By keeping your tree smaller and more orderly you’ll also encourage its long-term health.
Finding the Right Time to Prune
It’s important to prune your trees at the right time, but the right time differs from species to species. Some trees are best pruned in winter or autumn when they are dormant, meaning their wounds will bleed less sap. Other trees are susceptible to frost damage and should be pruned in warmer weather. Of course, if there are dangerous limbs, you may need to prune out of season, but in general stick to the best times for your trees. If you are unsure of the best time to prune you can always contact a qualified arborist for advice.
Be a Minimalist
It’s also important not to prune too much off of a tree. Generally, you want to prune the smallest amount to achieve the desired effect, as pruning too much can be fatal for the tree. Never prune more than ¼ of the crown of a tree, as this is where most of its leaves are located and where it gets most of its energy.
If in Doubt, Call an Arborist
If you’re ever unsure of how to prune your tree, when you should do it, and especially if you have safety concerns, contact a qualified arborist. Our Newcastle tree service can help with all your pruning needs. We’ll make sure it’s done safely and correctly so your trees thrive for years to come.