Most Important Reasons To Prune Trees

Keeping your trees healthy will require some routine tree pruning and we are here to help. With the right tools and care you can have the most amazing trees, increasing the beauty and value of your home. For some of the most important reasons to prune trees keep reading.

Prune Your Trees for Aesthetics

One of the best reasons to keep your trees well pruned is that it will make them more visually pleasing. Removing dead limbs or sections of the tree that are dead will help the healthy parts grow better. Some sections of your tree may grow faster than others and with the right pruning you can help insure that healthy overall growth exists and your trees will look much better for it. A good pruning for your tree is similar to a haircut. Removing the dead growth will allow your tree to put its energy toward new growth. This will give your tree an overall healthier and therefore prettier appearance.

Tree Pruning Improves Tree Growth

You may not realize that the large, juniper tree in your yard will stand a harsh winter much better if it has received a healthy pruning. With the proper technique used by a professional arborist, pruning can help your tree grow stronger roots which will add up to a healthier tree. With strong, resilient roots that run deep into the ground you will see your tree better able to withstand severe winds and thunderstorms. Additionally, a healthy pruning will also encourage your tree to grow new branches.

Increase Fruit or Nut Yield with Proper Pruning

If your trees help to provide food for your family, then pruning is an essential need. When your fruit or nut bearing trees receives the right trimming they will give you a larger harvest and healthier fruit. Removing dead branches will help your tree grow healthier which overall will increase production. This also means that pruning will allow for more fruit yields that are larger and healthier as well. Pruning can also encourage spur growth and which helps your tree to produce even more fruit next year.

Better Overall Tree Health

Dead branches not only inhibit growth, they will also make your tree susceptible to disease and pests. You want to make sure to remove all the dead limbs so that your tree won’t be prone to infection, disease and pests. Keeping up with your pruning will promote overall health and will help your tree not contract diseases or pests.

Tree Pruning Reduces Risks of Accidents

If your tree has dead branches or heavy fruit loads weighing it down it can be a hazard on your property. This is the most important reason to keep your tree pruned. Dead branches can be blown into cars, roofs or people. A storm can easily knock these branches down on to someone or something. Even in good weather a dead limb may fall on something. Another reason pruning improves safety is that it helps to reduce the chance that branches will grow into electrical lines. Finally, cracks, cankers, decay and bad root growth can all cause the tree itself to die and therefore fall into something or someone.

Pruning for Disease Treatment

Trees can get disease and one of the most important reasons to prune is to help to eliminate the spread of disease throughout a tree or to other trees. Pruning can help to treat the disease and will certainly help keep it from spreading. Tree pruning is considered both a preventative for disease as well as a treatment.

Tree Pruning Improves Vista

One important reason to prune trees is to give yourself a better view. Whether it’s to get a better view of rolling hills, a mountain, moving waters, a meadow or your garden, proper tree pruning can improve your vista. Often you can do this in a manner that will also improve the health of the bush, tree or shrub.

Improve A Gardening Space
Many people will prune trees to let in more sun. This is especially true of gardeners. This is another area that a heavy pruning to let more sun in can be done in a manner to also improve the health of the tree. An experienced arborist can guide you in the right direction and help you maintain your trees while getting the space you are looking for.

Training Your Trees
Another important and sometimes underestimated reason to prune your trees is to train your landscape. A seasoned arborist can do many creative things when pruning trees to not only improve the health of the tree itself, but to also improve your overall landscape. This is an ideal reason to find an arborist to work with.

Details To Consider
In regards to pruning overall there are a few details you will want to consider, especially if you’re doing it yourself. Take into consideration when you are pruning your trees. For most species it is best to prune when they are dormant. This will help to lower the risk of disease from insects or from the tree losing too much sap. This is generally late fall or winter and can vary a bit by region. Don’t be tempted to nip off the dead branches during a growing season, instead mark them with a ribbon or tie and wait until the tree will be less stressed by the cutting. It is important to remember that there will be some trees that need to be pruned at more precise timing.
The only exception to this rule is in the case of damage. If a limb breaks under a heavy harvest or from a storm, you may need to prune out of season. Another good tip to remember is to not prune trees too heavily. You can always take a bit more off but you can’t put it back on. A general rule of thumb is to not go more than a quarter the size of the crown of the tree. If you aren’t sure what your tree or shrub needs, it’s best to contact a certified arborist for specific advice.