Top Tree Trimming Tips

The value of trees in our lives is no secret. From being our primary source of food to contributing to improving the air quality, the trees around us serve in a multitude of ways. Not to forget about the

aesthetic beauty they add to our surroundings. However, like all things, trees also require some form of care and attention so that they can keep on serving us.

Tree trimming and pruning are one of the basic forms of tree maintenance procedures which, if done in the right manner, can improve the overall tree health and structural integrity while making them more attractive. However, improper pruning can do the reverse – sometimes ever leading to long-term damage and reducing the tree’s life – which makes it crucial to get the task done perfectly. If you are not too confident in your cutting and pruning skills, you can hire tree maintenance providers such as Carmel tree service to take care of your tree-related needs. But this article is a must-read if you want to take charge of your backyard and perform the tree maintenance tasks yourself. Keep on reading for some handy tree trimming and pruning tips for beginners and pros alike.

Reasons to Trim And Prune Trees

Every cut can change the trees’ appearance and potential to grow but at the same time, tree maintenance is crucial especially if they are becoming unhealthy, visually untidy or a safety risk to the surroundings. Here are some reasons why you might want to trim the trees in your backyard.

To Make Them Aesthetically Beautiful

We have already mentioned how trees add to the scenic beauty of any place but the opposite can happen if they are not kept in proper shape. After all, trees with branches growing out in every direction are quite distasteful and so trimming them to maintain their shape and beauty becomes quite important.

To Ensure Safety

Weak and old branches are always a risk to the surroundings as they can fall down anytime. Hence it’s important to remove them so that they don’t become a safety hazard for you or your neighbors.

To Maintain Their Health

Sometimes, it becomes essential to trim down trees to save their lives particularly if a part of them is infected. This will prevent the infection from spreading to other parts as well. Likewise, pruning the crown of the tree will allow for better light penetration and airflow to the parts underneath.

Easy Tree Trimming And Pruning Tips And Techniques

Here are 12 simple yet handy tips you should bear in mind when trimming or pruning the trees in your house:

• It’s best to trim trees during their dormant period, that is when they are exhibiting arrested growth.
• Be mindful that the branch size you want to cut and proceed with your plans only if it’s diameter is between 5cm to 10cm. You may want to think twice before cutting if it lies outside this range.
• Trim those branches only that have a weak V shape and narrow angles so that they can be removed easily.
• Angle your cut in the downward direction, away from the stem and cut outside the bark ridge.
• Prune branches while they are still young since it’s easier to deal with them at this point without leaving scars on the tree.
• Try not to trim extremely close to or far from a branch so that the branch collar is removed or a large stub is left back, both of which look quite unattractive.
• Ensure that the ratio of the tree’s crown to height is approximately 2/3 after you’re done trimming.
• Prune branches if they are crossing one another.
• Don’t cut over 1/4^th of a tree’s crown at a single time but spread the process over a few years, at least.
• Don’t cut off a lot of branches from near the bottom half as it will weaken the stem.
• Prune lateral branches only if their diameter is a third of the diameter of the branch that needs removal.
• Use the three-cuts method for long branches. As the name suggests, it involves making three cuts on different locations on the branch. The first cut is made on that side of the stem that does not face the branch you want to keep; the second one is made on the branch such that it is inside the crotch and over the ridge while the third cut removes the stem parallel to the bark ridge to detach the stub.
• Make sure the tools you’re using are not old and rusty. Have them sharpened so that you can make the cute smoothly.

By following these tips, you can get done with the task of tree maintenance in no time and maintain the beauty of your driveway, garden, and backyard.