When it comes to the question, “Which season is best for tree trimming?” The answer will likely be vague.
The type of tree usually dictates when many species can be pruned, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other species of plants and trees in the yard.
With the guidance of a professional arborist in Nebraska, you will be able to determine what season is optimal for pruning your trees to prepare them for success next season and beyond.
Best Season to Prune Trees
Without any other information, NE Tree Trimming recommends tree trimming during the winter. This ranges from November to March in most areas. Winter is best because the trees are mostly dormant, so pruning will lead to a minimal amount of harm, if any.
There are a lot of benefits to pruning trees during the winter:
Lower chance of insect damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are largely inactive in the winter in Nebraska. During the rest of the year, everything from insects to fungus can harm a freshly trimmed tree because the tree is most vulnerable and these issues thrive in warmer weather.
Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the complete shape of the tree. When the branches are bare, it is much easier to see dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.
Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this major pruning during the winter, your trees have several months to build up callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll hardly be able to tell where the branches were trimmed, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce brand new leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.
Less chance of harming nearby landscaping – Most of the surrounding trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is a lower risk of them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer months, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter since these annuals have already died out.
Do All Trees Need Trimming?
Yes, all trees will benefit from routine trimming. Tree pruning every winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Stronger
Dead and diseased branches are cut off, as are stubs that are susceptible to pests and disease. Branches that can rub against each other are also pruned so that they don’t weaken each other or create an open wound on the tree.
Pruning trees every year is also a good way to get expert eyes on your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and pest infestations can be identified and handled right away.
A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree becomes overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to get to every limb. This can leave the tree looking scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.
Pruned trees, on the other hand, produce more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping problems. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, routine trimming each winter will improve the results you desire from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Trimming
If the view of your landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is a necessity! Pruning trees results in an attractive, uniform shape and size. This is important if you have several identical trees on your property.
Cutting off lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles improves the overall beauty of the tree while also strengthening tree health.
Less Risk of Falling Branches
Tree trimming – from an arborist – helps the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t damage your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be safer living under and around pruned trees.
Another safety concern for overgrown trees is that they can impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree pruning, crown raising and other specialized tree care services will keep the tree at a good size and stop it from blocking various views.
Call NE Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming
Working with a professional arborist in Nebraska gives you access to their expert knowledge on the subject of tree trimming. We highly recommend relying on their expertise if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.
An arborist won’t only look at the current situation. Instead, an experienced arborist will take the time to research your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that may put them at risk). After collecting all the information, an arborist will create a long-term plan based on your trees’ needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan might take many years to implement, but rest assured, it will lead to healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for many years to come.
This kind of annual care will result in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping fight off plant diseases and increase fruit or flower production from trees. It will also strengthen your trees so there is not as much risk of falling trees or limbs.
Being proactive about tree care will save you a lot of money as well. Preventative maintenance is much more affordable than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or restoring an ill tree from a disease that has spread out of control (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the beauty of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree trimming and maintenance from NE Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Nebraska. Call today!
