Tree trimming is best left to the pros. It’s dangerous work, climbing trees, wielding chainsaws and lowering heavy branches to the ground; and it can also be dangerous for the tree too. Trees that aren’t pruned the right way can experience a lifetime of issues.
Rather than putting yourself in harm’s way and putting the tree at risk, hire someone who is knowledgeable and experienced to do the job for you.
This will lead to healthier trees and a safer environment surrounding your landscaping for many reasons:
- Healthier trees are sturdier and less likely to cause damage during severe storms
- Cared for trees won’t attract or spread diseases and parasites
- Trimmed trees grow more flowers or fruit
- Trimmed trees offer shade and allow air to flow throughout their canopies and your property
NE Tree Trimming strongly encourages pruning trees that are near your home or any that are an integral part of your property.
Is Tree Trimming Necessary?
It is not necessary. But it is important. Trees are hardy and can survive on their own everywhere in the world, in various different climates and locations, without being trimmed.
However, there are several benefits of tree trimming, so it’s highly recommended for trees that you value. This includes sentimental trees, fruit trees and flowering trees or trees that offer an important job for your home, such as shade or wildlife habitat.
Tree Trimming Gone Wrong
Pruning a tree is a complex project. You need the right equipment and a lot of knowledge to guarantee the job is done correctly. The vast majority of homeowners don’t have any of these!
But that’s not a problem, because there are many services available who know how to correctly prune trees for an affordable cost to you including all of the certified arborists in Nebraska we partner with!
Here are the 5 mistakes homeowners make when attempting DIY tree pruning that can lead to many tree problems. These are things that an experienced arborist from NE Tree Trimming will know, and that’s the reason why their services are worth paying for!
Trimming Too Much
When done the right way, tree pruning is an ongoing process. Starting when your trees are just 2 or 3 years old, they should be looked after by an arborist if you value them and desire to keep them healthy.
A big mistake that homeowners often make when pruning trees themselves is cutting too much of the tree at a time. This happens because they let the tree’s growth get out of control and try to correct it all at once. Ideally, you should only cut off 5-20% of the tree’s crown at the actual removal cut. It is 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.
Cutting at the Wrong Place
A certified tree specialist knows exactly where to trim each limb to protect against damage. This cut should be made just beyond the branch collar, the exact place where the branch connects to the trunk.
Cutting too close to the branch collar exposes the tree to insects, decay and mildew. Cutting too far away from it leaves a stump when the tree recovers. Most DIY tree trimming results in an improper cut, leaving either aesthetic or structural issues.
Trimming Big Branches
Branches larger than 4 inches in diameter really shouldn’t be trimmed unless it is absolutely necessary. Cutting off a branch of this size can result in imbalance in the tree and expose it to pests and rodents and decay as the tree recovers from such a large loss.
Conservative trimming every year guarantees that the tree service company only has to remove branches that are 2-3 inches in diameter, which produces a more attractive shape for the tree and less risk of hurting the tree or exposing it to disease and insects.
Topping the Tree
Tree topping is an outdated type of pruning, and for good reason! With this process, arborists would just cut the top off of the tree to achieve the desired height. It was neither attractive nor was it beneficial for the tree, so the majority of arborists do not practice tree topping currently.
As a DIY tree trimming, you may think this is an easy way to reduce the height of your tree with only one cut, but once you have cut off the top of a tree, there’s virtually no chance that it will ever regain a natural shape.
The Solution? Call NE Tree Trimming
Let’s face it. Your tree may never recover from poor trimming.
Doing this project yourself might seem like a way to save money, but you might 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 Nebraska from NE Tree Trimming.
Limbs aren’t going to grow back. The tree will grow more, but not in the same places, which can lead to shapes that might take years to correct. The tree could look bad for the remainder of its life, all because of a single pruning mistake.
Bad pruning could also cause death of the tree. Removing too many branches (and, therefore, leaves) can alter the tree’s photosynthesis process, meaning it won’t get enough water or enough carbon dioxide and sunlight to continue growing.
Cutting off too many branches might also send the tree into a state of shock. Shock can be overcome, but it does take a lot of patience and care. Even with proper care, a tree undergoing shock may still die.
Avoid all of these tree trimming mistakes and call NE Tree Trimming to speak with a tree care specialist in Nebraska able to devise a long-term plan to ensure your tree continues to blossom and look beautiful for years to come!
