Tree Trimming Tips and Techniques

Owning a home means a laundry list of things to do every weekend. There are the maintenance items, like fixing the broken faucet; the annual projects, like repainting your living room; and the seasonal projects, getting a beautiful tree trimming.

But tree trimming isn’t as easy as it sounds. You can’t head outside with cutters or a saw and simply start hacking away. Trim your tree the wrong way and it’ll show as a lopsided(and possibly unhealthy) tree. But with a few simple techniques and tree trimming tips, you can have your trees looking their best in no time.

While there are many techniques out there, and a simple internet search will reveal a number of do-it-yourself tips, you need just a few basic concepts in place to accomplish the project with ease.

Why should you trim your trees regularly?

In most cases, a tree is generally trimmed or pruned for one of three reasons.

-Safety – After a large storm, a large tree can sustain a lot of damage. Branches can break, dead wood can become dislodged. It’s no longer a matter of waiting to trim the trees when you have time, it’s now imperative to trim them immediately to avoid injury on your property. Safety is also a factor if a tree comes too close to utility lines, or if it encroaches too close to the street or your driveway, obstructing your vision or even drivability.

-Health – In some cases, a portion of a tree may become sick and start dying off. In order to save the tree, the infected branches must be sheared away. By cutting away tightly placed branches that are rubbing together or are crossed, and thinning out a tree to make room for main branches, you can allow a tree more room to grow properly.

-Appearance – Trees look better and remain in better condition if they are properly trimmed on a regular basis. Think of it in a similar manner as to having your haircut on a regular basis. It helps to maintain a tree’s natural shape.

Before you get started

There are a number of factors to keep in mind before heading out with your tree saw in tow.

An evergreen tree can be pruned and trimmed at any time. A deciduous tree should only be trimmed when it is dormant. The only exception is when a tree is damaged and presents a hazard to the surrounding area.

Try to prune branches when you first plant the tree and it has large growing surges. This will help train the tree from the beginning. It’s also a healthier process for the tree, minimizing the scarring that will take place on the trunk.

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