When you first bought your property, the beautiful trees dotting the landscape were a selling point. However, trees require a lot of care when it comes to pruning. Allowing a tree to grow wildly will only hurt your property’s value and possibly block a good view. Spring is one of the best times to trim your trees before summer’s heat sets in. Follow these tips to prune your yard like a professional.
Create a Plan
Carefully plan your trimming session before any branches hit the ground. Think about the shape that you’d like to see on the entire tree along with spacing between adjacent branches. Be aware of any power lines that are hanging near the tree. Maintain a safe distance between you, the power lines and tree. In addition, explore the features of the tree species in your yard. Some species don’t respond well to spring pruning. Certain species are better suited for a fall or winter pruning.
Don’t Cut Too Much
Your trees may be a dense collection of branches, but don’t plan on trimming too many of them away from the central leader. Every plant relies on its countless leaves to photosynthesize or produce energy. If you cut too many branches, the connected leaves can’t offer their energy-producing services. As a result, your tree may die back. Only prune a few branches off at any given time. This strategy allows it to grow and develop without any decline caused by leaf loss.
Tackle Damaged Trees First
Your main concern during any trimming session is working with damaged sections. Regardless of their numbers, they must be removed so that the tree can recover. Storms are often the reason why branches break and leave gaping holes in their wake. These injured areas are a haven for pests and diseases. Prune them away so that any infestation doesn’t spread to other parts of the plant. Sterilize your tools as you move between trees too. You don’t want to spread any of the damaged sections to healthy trees.
Sharpen the Tools
The best way to effectively trim your tree is by working with sharp tools. Sharpen every edge so that they can cut cleanly through the wood. Dull blades will tear at the plant, which causes undo harm to even more sections. Use tools that are appropriate for the branches’ sizes too. Trying to cut a large branch with a small tool will end up hurting you and the tree at the same time.
Support Heavy Limbs
When you trim a tree, most of the cuts occur on small branches. There may come a time, however, when a large branch must be taken out of the yard. Support this branch with rope supported by the upper branches if possible. Use a three-way cut where you systematically remove the branch from the central leader. The rope should hold the branch’s weight as it’s carefully lowered to the ground. You’ll avoid any damage to the yard itself with a supported branch.
Although you may be performing a basic trim to the trees, block off the area that you’re working within. Keep all children and pets out of the way so that any mistakes are isolated to this yard section. By following the proper steps, you’ll be able to trim the trees in little time while enjoying them throughout the summer.
If you’re interested in tree trimming or stump removal try out Tree trimming in Phoenix. They are a full service cactus, tree, and stump removal company who have been around for years!
