Pruning and trimming are important components of annual yard maintenance, but you may be wondering what the difference is. Pruning is the selected removal of dead or diseased branches to encourage proper growth and keep the tree healthy. Trimming applies to cutting back overgrown plants or parts of a tree to maintain a desired look and if you want to keep a shrub or plant a certain size. Pruning can open up the tree, allowing for sunlight and air to flow through the tree more effectively and aids in the prevention of root loss. When you make pruning a priority, you will also notice diseased areas more quickly allowing you the time to address these issues before the tree gets too far or dies. Sometimes pruning may need to be done because of a code violation where branches are hanging too low over a sidewalk or public pathway. Simply chopping those branches off usually isn’t beneficial and can do more harm to the tree than we may realize. If you want a productive and easy-to-access fruit tree, pruning will be your best friend.
Oftentimes, we can do small jobs ourselves, but there’s always a time and place for hiring a professional. If you need to prune a tree, which is probably likely with our dry summer, using the correct tools and pruning appropriately are crucial to the health of the tree. The wrong tools will be more time consuming and can be dangerous. Additionally, if you prune the wrong branches, your tree may become disfigured, damaged, or possibly even die. Pruning will require specific tools such as shears or saws.
There are two types of shears: lopping shears and hand shears. Both are relatively inexpensive, with hand shears being used for smaller cuts and lopping shears handling larger branches. For very large branches, you will likely need a quality saw for the job. To be safe, another tool to get is safety goggles, and don’t forget a high-quality ladder. Falls off ladders are common in the summer, so this is not a job you’ll want to take lightly or do by yourself. Like most home fix-it jobs, you will find quickly that buying all these tools adds up.
The time you prune your tree is also a consideration, and different trees require a different time of year to prune. Fruit trees often like early-summer pruning, while many flowering trees will benefit most from winter pruning. Tree species identification is not something we all need to know, but arborists and expert tree service professionals do. Your beloved tree can have a very long life with proper pruning. You’ve probably noticed oddly shaped trees around your neighborhood or ones with dying areas while other areas thrive. This is likely due to improper pruning. A professional pruning company will know exactly when, how, and where to cut to ensure a tree’s best survival as well as offer advice on how to keep your trees healthy. Timber Ridge Tree Service is your area tree expect.
