4 Tips for Trimming Trees

Trees and bushes can enhance the appeal of your yard, provide natural shade, and entice birds and other creatures to enter your garden. However, some trees have a tendency to grow too large. If you have trees and bushes that need to be pruned, these tips can help.

Know the Right Time to Prune

When you are trimming tees, there are certain times of the year when it is a good idea, and other times when you should hold off. For example, avoid trimming trees and bushes in the fall season. Winter pruning is done most often, though you need to wait until the coldest part of winter is over. Keep in mind if you prune during the winter, your tree might have sap that comes out of the branches. This is completely normal. You can also trim your trees in the summer, which helps to slow down branches you don't want to grow any further.

Don't Remove Larger Branches

Trimming trees usually requires trimming down the branches, but not removing them fully. However, there are some situations where removing branches is appropriate. Generally, the smaller the branch, the better it is to remove it completely. Be careful when you start reaching the larger and longer branches. With these, just trim them as much as needed, but leave them where they are. The exception is if you have large branches that are clearly diseased or dying. Removing these can help promote healthy growth of the remaining branches.

Start With the Biggest Cuts

When you start lopping the tree branches, make the biggest cuts first. This helps you to better plan how to trim the tree and avoid cutting too much at one time. When you are done trimming a tree, you should not have removed more than about a third of the tree. This causes too much loss and makes it more difficult to promote new growth. Tape off the areas where you want to make the biggest cuts, using orange tape as it is easiest to see. Make the vertical cuts and reassess the tree to see how much more trimming you want to accomplish.

Remove Dead and Diseased Branches Next

When you are taping branches, use a different color for branches or stems that are diseased or dead. This lets you remove these branches next. Use a color tape that is easy to see, but not too close to the color of the larger cuts you were making. Pink and purple tape is usually a good option. Start removing the dead, diseased and pest-infested branches next.

If you need help, contact a landscaping service.