Here in Richmond, we are blessed to live where we have an abundance of tall healthy trees and in a town that values trees. In 2016, we were designated a “Tree City” for the 25th consecutive year by the Arbor Day Foundation. Yes, Virginians love their trees, but loving trees doesn’t mean always understanding the best ways to care for them. To learn some basics of tree care, keep reading.
REASONS TO PRUNE TREES
Trees need to be pruned for many reasons, some of which are that it has grown too high (getting close to utility lines for example), it has grown inward and the crown has become crowded, and to alter its growth pattern. If growth has been stunted, a good pruning can give the tree a second chance by removing diseased branches. One basic reason to prune a tree is to alter the shape. This can mean cutting branches so you can park your car, or walk to your front door without having to duck, but the result is the same: pruning for human convenience. Some trees are pruned for specifically an ornamental effect.
PRUNING MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS
Many people think you can only prune a tree when it is dormant, but this is not strictly true. Evergreens, for example, can be pruned in summer, besides in late dormancy. A summer pruning is especially helpful for evergreens trimmed as hedges. For deciduous trees, the general rule is that you prune in spring or summer. You can prune a tree when it is covered in leaves, so long as you do not cut more than one-third of the branches at one time. In fact, pruning actually stimulates growth so it can benefit the tree. Another rule of thumb is that you should prune spring-flowering trees after the flowers fade. Removing branches where there were recently blooms, will limit your fruit yield and this can be beneficial. A tree that produces less fruit can produce superior fruit. Because any pruning creates a wound that had to heal, it is better to give the tree as few wounds as possible during a pruning session. If a tree is over pruned it can make it vulnerable to disease. One pruning thought that is true is that you should not prune a tree in the fall. The weather promotes fungal growth and this can end up killing your tree, so don’t do it! It is a fine time to remove unhealthy or dead trees though, so if you have trees that you think won’t make it through the coming winter, give us a call and we’ll remove the tree and can grind the stump so that the ground is ready for use.
There are lots of tips and tricks involved in pruning a tree properly and CallTree Services has the know-how and experience to do it right.When you want to make sure your trees are pruned correctly, call professionals. Call Call Tree Service! We perform pruning, felling, tree removal, and stump grinding.
