The right type of trimming enhances the beauty of your trees, but beauty often comes with good health. Here are ways that trimming supports the health of your tree.

First Things: Use the Right Tools

All tools used for tree trimming need to be high quality. The tools also need to be sharp. Dull secateurs or by-pass loppers simply crush the branches of your tree. This invites diseases and pests. Furthermore, dull chainsaws are dangerous to the user. A professional arborist understands this and keeps all of their tools in top shape.

Best Time to Trim or Prune

Generally, the best time to prune or trim a deciduous tree is during the cold season when it’s dormant, the leaves have fallen, and it’s easier to see the overall structure. The exceptions are some ornamental trees or shrubs. Some need to be trimmed just before they bloom while others should be trimmed just after they flower. Ask your arborist which trees fall into which category.

Conifers such as pines, spruce and yews usually need light trimming unless they’re damaged. These trees can be trimmed all year.

What You Want Your Tree to Look Like

Different tree species have different habits, but generally, you should trim a young tree to have one sturdy, central leader without any rival branches, and a handful of strong branches. These branches should grow from U-shaped, as opposed to V-shaped branch unions. Arborists even recommend that V-shaped unions be trimmed or pruned away to encourage them to grow into a stronger U.

Trimming Branches Promotes Air Circulation

Air can’t circulate well in trees that have too many central branches. These branches might not get enough sunlight and can be weak. Bad weather can cause them to break, and this is dangerous if the branches are heavy. Trimming dense branches allows light and air into the tree. This helps make them strong and able to bear up under wind, rain and snow storms.

Trimming Branches That Cross Reduces Disease and Pests

When branches rub against each other, they cause wounds that can fester. Trimming crossed branches reduces the risks of disease and pests and so supports the tree’s health.

Trim Suckers and Sprouts

Suckers and sprouts grow up from the roots of trees. They don’t produce flowers or fruit and just sap the tree’s energy. Some arborists say you shouldn’t even use pruners on suckers and sprouts, but simply tear them out manually.

Trimming your trees now and then supports their health as well as their beauty. If you need tree service, including tree trimming, don’t hesitate to call our professional arborists at Five Star Professional Services of Kalamazoo, MI.