Tree maintenance on your property is essential to aesthetic appeal and safety. Large tree maintenance jobs involving tree lopping require the expertise of a professional and it is advised that you hire an experienced tree trimming service. However, it is possible to maintain many of the averaged sized trees on your property through pruning. Pruning can be relatively simple if you understand proper technique and know the most effective tools to use.

Know Where to Prune a Tree

Most pruning jobs are possible to do on your own. The goal of tree pruning is to always remove the unwanted branch without causing any damage to the stem of the tree. A tree grows upward from the stem at the nodes of the tree. This means that you should always prune only the branches that come out from the stem.

There is a layer that attaches the stem and branches known as the stem collar. It is always suggested that you make all pruning cuts on the branch side of this attachment layer. This will ensure that the tree heals in a timely manner and that no damage to the stem occurs.

When Should You Prune?

The best time of year to prune a tree is not during the summer. Dormant season is the time that is ideal for tree pruning and this occurs in late fall and early winter. Even though dormant season is recommended, it is possible to remove any dead tree branches during any part of the year.

When you choose to prune your trees during the fall and winter, you have the ability to lessen the amount of sap loss that occurs. This simply means that the tree is traumatised to a much less degree than if you prune in the spring or summer months.

Technique & Tools

It is always important to remember that you want to remove the least amount of branches as possible from your tree. This is always the rule of thumb that you should follow. When you prune a tree this makes it more likely to be affected by disease or damage. The tools that should be used to ensure that you have proper technique include a folding pruner or even a pole pruner.

The folding version is ideal for branches that are lower to the ground and a pole pruner can be used for higher branches. It is essential that you always fully disinfect all pruning tools after you are finished. If you do not clean your tools effectively, it is possible to spread disease from one tree to another and cause extensive damage.

For more tips or professional assistance, contact companies like Tony's Tree Care.

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