3 Tips For Your Summertime Tree Pruning

Proper tree pruning should be part of your ongoing tree and yard care; There are a variety of reasons why pruning is necessary.

  • Limbs or branches are dead
    • The tree is getting top heavy
    • To keep landscaping looking neat
    • To spur new growth or flowering
    • To retain or change the shape
    • Harmful diseases

    For flowering trees and shrubs that flower in the spring, prune them after the flowers fade. For those that flower in mid or late summer, prune them in the winter or early spring.

 

Unless your tree is diseased, or you need to remove dead branches, you should leave heavy pruning to the winter months when the tree is dormant, but perform light pruning as we approach the spring. Spring pruning leads to new growth without being concerned that the cold weather will damage the immature growth. According to the Arborday website, you shouldn’t trim your trees in the fall because fungus is more prevalent and their spores can fall in the new cuts, risking the long-term health of the tree.

Pruning Fruit Trees:
In Edmonton, fruit trees should only be pruned after the last frost and before they begin to bloom, this usually is between February and the end of April. Pruning too late in the season can cause them to be damaged by the cold weather.

An expert arborist from Chipps Tree Care can provide you with exact guidelines based on the particular type of fruit tree you have and do a bit of work if it seems unsafe or requires equipment that you do not own.

Tools for Tee Pruning:

Before you start pruning your trees and shrubs, you need to make sure that you have the right tools for the job. Here are a few of the “must have” tools.

  • Pruning shears: the most popular type of pruners are called bypass pruners; they work like scissors.
    • Lopper shears: you should use lopper shears for branches up to 2.5 inches in width. The blades are thicker and handles are longer than pruning shears.
    • Pruning saws: they will handle branches up to 5-inches in diameter.
    • Hedge shears: they can be used on just about any small shrub or small evergreen.
    • Pole pruner: they will help you cut higher, thin branches.

3 Pruning Tips:

Keep these tips in mind before you begin pruning your trees and shrubs in the Edmonton area.
Lateral branches should be about ½ the diameter of the stem, if not, it should be taken off.
• Make sure the flowering trees are pruned only after they have flowered for the season.
• Prune on a regular basis in order to keep trees healthy and to avoid the shock of a massive pruning.

There are not too many rules to remember in order to keep your trees happy and healthy, but there are a few crucial things that you cannot forget or neglect. Having a reliable tree pruning, planting and removal service in your contacts will help ease your mind when it comes time to choose a new tree or get rid of an old one that is in danger of falling down and causing damage. Often people wait until it’s too late and by the time they’ve called the arborist, the dead tree is already falling on their shed!

 

 

 

Author: WebEditor

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