Tree Care 101: A Beginner’s Guide To Trimming And Pruning

Tree Care 101: A Beginner’s Guide To Trimming And Pruning

Trees and shrubs are among the things that add to your property’s curb appeal. They also play a massive role in your property’s value. However, for these plants to positively impact your property, they must be groomed and in good health.

One way to ensure your trees are appealing is trimming and pruning them. These procedures encourage new and strong foliage growth, eradicate diseases, and beautify the plants, helping you achieve a beautiful and perfect garden. That said, if you want to maintain the beauty and health of your plants, this article presents a beginner’s tree care guide to trimming and pruning. Read on!

Overview: Trimming And Pruning

Tree trimming is the process of removing excess branches to maintain a plant’s shape and size. Primarily, it aims at beautifying the plant. Once you trim a tree, the remaining foliage experiences speedy growth, resulting in thicker vegetation.

On the other hand, pruning is the tactical removal of branches, flowers, and stems from a tree. Besides being done for shaping purposes, tree pruning focuses on enhancing a plant’s health. In most cases, tree pruning is done to encourage flowering and fruition, eliminate dead limbs, and develop new leaves.

Tree trimming and pruning can both be done the DIY way or by hiring professionals. However, whether to do it yourself or seek professional help depends on your knowledge and ability to complete the task successfully, the size of the tree, the tools required, and the task itself.

Short, young trees might be relatively easy to trim and prune, unlike tall, old ones. This is because you don’t need to work on a height when dealing with short trees, nor do they require power machines since the limbs are still young. However, when trimming or pruning tall, old trees, you must be experienced in safely climbing and using power tools.

If you’re planning on trimming and pruning tall trees or need major gardening renovations such as tree removal, consider hiring experts offering tree services such as tree removal Albuquerque or in your local area. These experts will help ensure your plants are trimmed and pruned properly and safely.

Plant Trimming And Pruning Basics

The best time to trim or prune a tree is during its dormant period. While some trees, such as pine, can be trimmed or pruned any time of the year, waiting for their dormant period is also advisable. According to experts, you should only consider pruning trees before they’re dormant if they pose a safety hazard.

It’s also essential to consider the branch sizes before deciding to remove them. Branches under five centimeters across are safe to remove. If they’re more than that, figure out if you should cut them off before pruning since they can leave a mark on the tree, which is a weak point for disease penetration. Removing branches over ten centimeters across is only advisable if they pose a threat or there are other vital reasons to do so. Also, such branches should be attended to by professional tree removers.

When determining which branches to trim, assess the angles they make with the tree. Branches with a V-shape are weaker than those with a U-shaped bend. Removing more fragile branches and leaving the stronger ones is advisable to maintain the tree’s strength. Additionally, branches extending sideways should measure between ½ and ¾ of the trunk’s diameter at the attached point. If they’re less than that, consider removing them.

It’s vital to trim and prune plants as early as possible. Don’t wait for the branches to grow too old before taking care of them. Doing so minimizes scarring risk more than larger limbs. You should also ensure to trim and prune the limbs correctly. Avoid interfering with the branch collar and leaving an identifiable stem or stub.

What Should You Prune?

Determining what you want to trim and prune is vital before commencing the activity. Assess the tree and identify the branches you want to be removed to avoid pruning the wrong limbs. While these might take a while, you can permanently damage your tree if you remove the wrong branches. Here are the things you should remove during a tree-trimming procedure:

1. Unhealthy Branches

Unhealthy branches include dead, broken, sick, and dry limbs. All these stems should be removed to encourage tree health. While it’s essential to wait until the tree is dormant to prune it, removing unhealthy limbs shouldn’t wait. Removing unhealthy limbs prevents the spread of diseases while encouraging the tree to produce new, fresh growth.

2. Branches Growing Awkwardly

Tree branches shouldn’t grow across each other. If you notice this, consider removing one branch to create room for the other. If branches continue crossing each other, they can touch and create friction, resulting in scarring that can be the entry point for insects and diseases.

Branches growing towards the tree center can also cause tree chaffing and should be removed. The tree trunk requires breathing room to nourish and support limb growth. If branches overcrowd the tree trunk, it can develop rotting and other diseases threatening its well-being.

3. Suckers And Water Sprouts

Suckers are long shoots that grow from tree roots. These shoots should be pruned closely to the source to ensure they don’t come out again. Suckers are harmful since they use the energy and nutrients from the main tree, hindering their growth. On the other hand, water sprouts grow straight from the main limbs. Water sprouts should be pruned as soon as they’re identifiable. Removing water sprouts keeps the tree in shape.

Essential Tools You Need For Trimming And Pruning

There are lots of tree-pruning tools available. However, choosing the right ones can take time and effort due to versatility. To help you, here are some of the essential tools you’ll need:

1. Pruning Saw

Pruning saws come with curved blades and sharp teeth. They’re designed to make clean cuts on difficult branches with hand pruners and loppers. A pruning saw is ideal for removing a significant part of a shrub or thick tree limbs.

2. Hand Pruners

Hand pruners are a gardener’s must-have. They’re small and light to fit in a pocket and carry alone. Hand pruners are sharp and excellent for young stems and branches.

It’s vital to mention that hand pruners come in two types. Bypass hand pruners’ blades overlap, while anvil hand pruners are single-bladed. Bypass pruners are more likely to crush the stem instead of cutting it, creating an entry point for diseases. On the other hand, an anvil pruner’s blade presses against a flat edge, providing a clean cut. Therefore, consider settling for an anvil over bypass pruners.

3. Hedge Trimmers

Motorized hedge trimmers are ideal for shaping broad areas on evergreen shrubs. They come with extra sharp reciprocating blades for a quick, effective procedure. Suppose you’re handling large hedges. It’s advisable to use motorized shears instead of traditional ones.

4. Loppers

Loppers are ideal when pruning large branches. These tools are large and robust to handle strong limbs with ease. Loopers are less likely to crash the branches since they always provide a clean cut.

The Dos And Don’ts Of Plant Trimming And Pruning

While it sounds straightforward, tree pruning and trimming is a technical activity that requires knowledge. The procedure uses tools that can cause severe injuries if misused. Here are some of the dos and don’ts of plant trimming and pruning to keep in mind:

• Do Not Trim A Tree Near To The Power Line

Trees near power lines are best left to the pros. They’re experienced in working under similar circumstances and are unlikely to cause accidents. Suppose you trim a tree near a power line. You might interfere with the electrical wires and cause severe personal and property damage. Avoid handling such trees at all costs.

• Do Practice Safety Measures

Among the safety measures for tree trimming and pruning is using the right protective equipment and proper tools. You need a helmet to keep your head safe, goggles for eye protection, gloves, and protective boots. Aside from this, you must have the proper tools and avoid using blunt ones to avoid damaging the tree.

• Do Not Prune Hard-To-Reach Braches

You should only cut the limbs you can reach with your feet on the ground. Standing tip-toed can interfere with your balance. This may lead to falls and other severe accidents.

• Do Use Clean Tools

A tree is a living thing. Once it comes into contact with germs and bacteria from dirty tools, it can get sick and die. For this reason, it’s vital to ensure the tools are clean before pruning, trimming, or felling a tree.

• Do Not Scar The Tree

Every cut should be clean to avoid scarring the tree. A scarred tree is likely to start drying or welcome insects and diseases. Therefore, ensure you avoid scarring the tree when trimming or pruning.

Conclusion

Tree pruning or trimming is easier said than done. It requires knowledge and experience to avoid harming the trees and your safety. Understanding what you need to remove from a tree and how to go about it is vital.

You should also use the right tools to make clean cuts. If you’re looking forward to venturing into tree trimming and pruning, take advantage of the above information for a straightforward procedure and safe execution.