Tree pruning is one of the most basic, yet important tree care services. Proper pruning is essential for maintaining attractive and healthy trees, and often serves to extend the life of a tree. Where, what, when and how you cut are all essential basics of tree pruning. A properly pruned tree will not have compromising branch structures and improper weight distribution that could lead to disaster later on in the tree’s life.
There are a few different types of pruning, depending on a tree’s specific needs:
- Cleaning is the removal of dead, dying, diseased, weakly attached, and low-vigor branches from the crown of a tree.
- Raising or Lifting removes the lower branches from a tree to provide clearance for buildings, vehicles, pedestrians, and vistas.
- Reduction reduces the size of a tree, often for utility line clearance. Unlike topping a tree, reduction helps maintain the tree’s form and structural integrity.
- Thinning reduces the density of foliage at the crown periphery. Thinning is sometimes performed to increase wind or light penetration for aesthetic reasons and to promote interior foliage development.
Timing is key. Different types of trees and shrubs (flowering, non-flowering, conifers, hardwoods, palms) require pruning at different times of the year. Knowing when to prune the trees in your landscape is a very important factor in getting the desired results.
The good news is, as a homeowner, you don’t need to be a pruning expert. Your Arborist Expert at Atlas Tree Service is qualified to understand and implement the correct pruning methods for the life and health of your trees. Contact Atlas Tree Service today for an expert consultation and estimate.
