Tree pruning is best left to experienced professionals. It’s dangerous work, climbing trees, using chainsaws and dropping heavy tree limbs to the ground; and it can also be dangerous for the tree too. Trees that aren’t pruned properly can experience a lifetime of damage.
Instead of putting yourself and putting the tree at risk, hire an arborist who is trained and experienced to do the job for you.
This will lead to stronger trees and a safer environment around your home for several reasons:
- Healthier trees are sturdier and not as likely to cause damage during storms
- Maintained trees won’t attract or spread diseases and parasites
- Pruned trees grow more flowers or fruit
- Trimmed trees offer shade while still allowing air to flow throughout their canopies and your landscaping
KY Tree Trimming highly suggests pruning trees that are near your home or those that are an integral part of your landscape.
Is Tree Trimming Necessary?
It is not required. But it is beneficial. Trees are very strong and survive on their own across the world, in many different climates and regions, without trimming.
That said, there are a lot of benefits of professional tree trimming, so it’s recommended for any trees that you value. This includes sentimental trees, fruit trees and blossoming trees or trees that offer an important job for your home, such as shade or home to wildlife.
Tree Trimming Gone Wrong
Pruning a tree is a complex task. You need the right tools and a lot of knowledge to ensure the project is done right. The vast majority of homeowners don’t have either of these!
But that’s not a problem, because there are a lot of services out there who know how to correctly prune trees for an affordable cost to you including all arborists throughout Kentucky we team up with!
Below are the 5 most common mistakes people make when they attempt DIY tree trimming that can lead to many tree problems. These are things that an experienced arborist from KY Tree Trimming will know, and that’s why their services are worth paying for!
Pruning Too Much
When done the right way, tree pruning is a never-ending process. Beginning when your trees are just 2 or 3 years old, they should be maintained by a professional if you care about them and desire to keep them strong and healthy.
A huge mistake people make when pruning trees themselves is trimming too much of the tree all at once. This occurs because they have let the tree’s growth get out of control and try to correct it all immediately. Ideally, you should not cut off more than 5-20% of the tree’s crown at a once. It is a lot easier to do this during a time of year that there are no leaves, but a certified arborist is able to properly trim trees any time of year.
Removing Bark from the Tree
After you cut a tree branch and gravity starts to pull it down, it can rip bark from the trunk right along with it. This exposes the tree’s inner layers, putting the tree in danger of contracting diseases and making it easier for pests and rodents to scurry their way in.
To stop this from occurring, an experienced arborist makes special cuts beneath big branches before making their actual removal cut. Knowing how to place these small cuts takes pressure off the branch collar and lowers the stress at the exact point of the main cut so the tree limb doesn’t tear.
Cutting at the Wrong Place
A certified tree specialist knows where to cut each limb to protect against damage. This cut should be done just beyond the branch collar, the exact place where the branch connects to the trunk.
Trimming too close to the branch collar exposes the tree to pests and decay. Cutting too far from it leaves a stump when the tree has recovered. Most DIY tree trimming leads to an improper cut, leaving either structural or aesthetic problems.
Pruning Big Branches
Branches larger than 4 inches in diameter shouldn’t be trimmed unless it is necessary. Cutting off a branch of this size can cause imbalance in the tree and expose it to pests and rodents and rot as the tree recovers from losing such a large branch.
Conservative trimming annually guarantees that your tree trimmer only has to cut off branches that are 2-3 inches in diameter, which produces a more attractive shape for the tree and less risk of harming the tree or exposing it to disease and insects.
Topping the Tree
Tree topping is no longer a type of pruning, and for good reason! With this process, arborists would just cut the top off of the tree to get the desired height. It was neither attractive nor beneficial for the tree, so the majority of tree care companies do not practice tree topping currently.
During DIY tree pruning, you might think this is an easy way to lower the height of your tree with just a single cut, but once you have cut the top of a tree off, there’s virtually no chance it will ever regain a natural shape.
The Solution? Call KY Tree Trimming
Your tree may never recover from poor trimming.
Doing this job yourself might seem like a good way to save a little money, but you could end up with way more cost trying to revive damaged trees, so it’s much safer (and more economical in the long run) to hire a certified arborist in Kentucky from KY Tree Trimming.
Limbs will not grow back. The tree will grow more, but it will not grow back in the same places, which causes odd shapes that could take years to correct. The tree could look bad for the remainder of its life, all because of a single pruning mistake.
Incorrect pruning could also cause death of the tree. Cutting off too many limbs (and, therefore, leaves) can affect the tree’s photosynthesis process, which means it won’t get all of the water it needs or enough sunlight and carbon dioxide to continue healthy growth.
Cutting off too many branches could also send the tree into a state of shock. Shock isn’t necessarily permanent, but it takes a great deal of patience and care. Even with proper care, a tree experiencing shock may still die.
Avoid all of these tree pruning mistakes and call KY Tree Trimming to speak with a tree care specialist in Kentucky able to come up with a plan to ensure your tree continues to blossom and look beautiful for years to come!
