A Guide for When to Prune Trees

Are you interested in learning the proper steps and procedures about when to prune trees?

Pruning and trimming is a routine maintenance activity that should be performed annually. Reinforcing healthy growth patterns, pruning encourages trees to reach their intended height, size and bloom.

Keep reading to learn more about the best time to prune trees and the proper steps to take for healthy growth!

If you are in Northern Virginia or Montgomery County, give us a call at (703) 969-6207 to receive a free estimate on tree pruning services. You can also click here to contact us online.

Seasonal Tree Pruning

There is a right and wrong time for when to prune trees. In fact, pruning during the wrong seasons can compromise growth and health. Specifically, it is best to prune during dormant seasons rather than during budding or shedding seasons.

One may be able to accurately assume from that information that you should avoid pruning and trimming in fall and spring. Since this is when trees are actively growing or shedding their flowers, leaves, and blooms, it is vital to avoid interrupting growth.

Winter is the best time to actively groom. At this point, your tree has completely shed all leaves (if deciduous). In fact, pruning in these off seasons can improve the quality of your flowers, foliage during growth season.

Overall, regular pruning is the best way to control the growth pattern and maintain healthy tree life. This allows homeowners and business owners to prevent dead, damaged and fallen limbs down the road.

Signs You Need Tree Trimming

Determining when to trim trees and prune is the first and easiest step in the process. Next, it is important to identify if your tree is in need of these services.

Regular and routine pruning is the best way to reinforce healthy development. With habitual checks during both winter and summer, you can catch and resolve minor growth problems before they become major.

A common cause leading to trimming and pruning is vision obstruction. Trees can occasionally cover necessary objects like street signs, mailboxes and other landmarks. Trimming reveals these items and encourages the tree to grow around them.

Neglecting to regularly prune and trim can lead to dying, unhealthy plants. Additionally, limbs and branches can become weak, unable to support themselves. Maintenance allows you to:

• Create space between growing limbs
• Remove dead, dying and infected branches
• Eliminate obstructing limbs
• Encourage flowering and growth
• Remove low growing branches

With proper and regular care, you can actually encourage trees to grow exactly where you want! Let them reach their full potential by hiring an experienced team of arborists.

When to Hire a Professional

With varying species of trees and bloom types, it is almost always best to bring in the talent of an experienced and certified arborist for pruning. Most importantly, any large trees or branches can become dangerous and hazardous for the amateur pruner.

Knowledgeable in the field, an arborist will inform about tips and tricks for the varying species on your property. For example, oak trees shouldn’t be pruned April-June because it attracts beetles causing oak wilt disease.

Professional arborists are also experienced with proper wound dressing. When a tree branch is removed or severed, you are actually opening a wound on the tree that needs proper healing. In fact, some trees are known to “bleed,” leaching fluid such as sap from the hole.

Your local arborist will be experienced with quickly identifying dying or infected branches and those inhibiting the growth of the tree. From decorative trees to flowering trees, an experienced arborist will help maximize your trees’ growth potential!

Eliminate Risk & Damage

Many homeowners and business owners start off pruning with the idea they can handle the job themselves. Not only is this risky for the tree, but you can also impose serious risk on yourself, property and others in the area.

Do not attempt to prune trees near electrical wires or power lines! We cannot emphasize that point enough. Not only does this introduce a risk of electrocution, any tree high enough to reach power lines is too large to handle without professional equipment.

At the very least, amateur pruning can stunt and deter the growth of your tree. Even worse, removing a large tree branch can cause damage to you or property.

A qualified and professional team should assist and complete the pruning process, especially risky and large jobs. Be sure that the team is licensed and fully insured, eliminating all risk from you. If you hire an uninsured company, any damage on the job could hold you fully liable.

Call Absolute Tree Service, Inc. Today!

If you live in Northern Virginia or Montgomery County, give us a call at (703) 969-6207. You can also click here to contact us online.

Absolute Tree Service, Inc. is a full service tree company located in Northern Virginia. Our team of certified arborists is fully insured and licensed.

With expertise and experience, we deliver residential and commercial properties with all tree related services. Give us a call today is you are in Northern Virginia or Montgomery County and in need of tree pruning services!