Trees and shrubs can make a wonderful addition to your landscape. They provide shade for your flowers, and they can create a beautiful focal point in your garden. However, if you don’t take the time to manage your plants and trees, they can quickly become overgrown and unruly. Proper trimming will help your plants and trees thrive, as well as keep them safe from damage and safety hazards.
While pruning is a crucial part of yard maintenance, many people don’t know how to prune correctly. The experts at Front Range Arborists can help you get the most out of your trees and shrubs while maintaining a healthy, aesthetically pleasing yard.
The first step in proper tree trimming is to understand what a branch should look like when it’s mature. This will help you determine when to trim and how much.
In general, a tree should have one dominant leader and multiple lateral branches. This allows for a strong structure, promotes good air circulation and reduces stress on specific limbs caused by wind, snow, gravity, and ice.
Thinning is the most common type of pruning, and it consists of removing specific branches to reduce overall crown density. This can also be done to increase sunlight penetration and reduce shadowing on lower branches. When doing this, it’s important to remove no more than a quarter of the crown at any given time. Otherwise, the remaining dominant branch will become overloaded and susceptible to breakage.
Dead or unsightly twigs and branches should be removed as soon as they’re noticed. This will allow the plant to focus its resources on the living branches and promote new growth.
Water sprouts and trunk suckers are thin, fast-growing twigs or stems that grow straight up from lateral branches in the canopy or from the base of the trunk. They should be pruned away before they grow too large, as they can outgrow the main leader and cause a lopsided appearance.
It’s also important to prune away diseased or insect-infested twigs and branches as soon as you notice them. This will prevent the spread of pathogens and encourage healthy regrowth.
When removing these types of twigs and branches, make sure you use the three-cut method to avoid tearing the bark. First cut through the twig or branch halfway from the underside, then make another cut about 1 inch past the first. The final cut should be made outside of the branch collar, which is a protective zone that inhibits the spread of rot or disease.
It’s also important to prune at the right time of year. For example, a heavy pruning could damage a tree that’s already under stress due to a drought or pest infestation. It’s best to prune during the winter or early spring, when the trees are dormant and less active. For spring-blooming trees and shrubs, it’s recommended to wait until after they’ve finished flowering. In addition, it’s a good idea to refrain from trimming during periods of high moisture or heat.
source https://petestreeworxwa2.wordpress.com/2024/03/01/how-to-properly-trim-your-trees-and-shrubs/
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