Tree trimming is one of the engaging activities to maintain the aesthetic value of the environment making trees sites beautiful, but if done without caution, this can jeopardize the tree’s health. Trimming the treetop in the wrong direction can cause the growth of the tree to be extremely stunted as a result weakening or even killing the tree. Let’s look at the ten most common tree trimming mistakes you can avoid.
1. Unnecessary Trimming
Perception of timing is important when it comes to trimming. Pruning trees during the off-peak seasons conversely makes the trees more susceptible to diseases, pests, and other harsh weather conditions. Nevertheless, late winter or early spring is the most appropriate time for trees to trim before the onset of new growth in the coming seasons.
2. Over-Pruning
Over pruning, as well as topping is one of the more common and improper practices. Removing too many branches at a time will leave the tree without some of its most important leaves which are necessary for photosynthesis. This will jeopardize the tree, lower its food supplies, and heighten its susceptibility to both diseases and pests.
3. Using Dull or Dirty Pruners
Dull or dirty pruners can also cut the tree improperly by making ragged cuts. Use disinfected, sharp tools so that clean cuts are made and the tree heals rapidly which lowers the risks of many diseases. Clean and resharpen your tools each time before their use. If there are several trees still waiting for trimming, ensure that you have bleach preparation to disinfect your pruners.
4. Making Incorrect Cuts
The manner of trimming affects the growth and preservation of a tree. Make sure to avoid any kind of cuts referred to as “flush cuts”, i.e., the ones made too close to the trunk leaving out the branch collar which is the part that assists in wound healing. On the other hand, a cut should be placed outside the branch collar to assist in the rapid formation of callus tissue, thereby minimizing infection risk.
5. Removing Large Branches
Cutting long branches of the tree causes damage to their structure. Such branches provide support for the canopy so removing them can affect the balance of the tree. If a branch is injured or dead and needs to be cut off then the removal should be left to professional arborists. They are best suited to handle such big cuts in a way that does not affect the tree’s health.
6. Neglecting Dead or Diseased Branches
Dead or diseased branches could hazard the entire tree’s health. By not replacing these branches, other parts of the tree would be more exposed to disease, which makes the tree even more frail. Considerably check your trees for any degradation or disease-related signs attached to a twig or a branch, and remove the branch before it causes damage to other parts of the tree.
7. Improper Wound Care
When it comes to tree wounds like cuts, it is advisable to leave the wound untouched allowing nature’s course to take place and the tree to heal itself. Using materials such as sealants, paints, or even wound dressings is usually unnecessary and highly undesirable as these materials can get wet and cause infection.
8. Trimming Too Close to Power Lines
Cutting trees near power lines is indeed a hazardous activity and hence needs an expert. Doing it on your own exposes you to the hazard of electrical contact and may lead to poor or excessive pruning which is also not good for the trees. Trimming trees near electric power lines is a paid service so contact those professionals for help, or hire an expert arborist to do the work.
9. Ignoring Young Tree Training
Establishing a healthy and sturdy growth in young trees is essential. Training young trees typically involves cutting the tree and its branches to provide a sturdy and balanced structure. Keep an eye on young trees and eliminate unnecessary, conflicting, or competing branches to assist them in their growth to a healthy shape will high bearing capacity in the future.
10. Not Consulting a Professional When Needed
In the case of cutting a tree, whatever you wish to try is dependent on you. But, there are moments when an action will demand the help of professionals. They make sure that when tree trimming is done, it in the real sense helps in raising the tree rather than destroying it.
Tree trimming is a very important process because of the requirements it demands. Doing these without any error would facilitate improving the growth of the trees. In case you are not up to the mark concerning tree trimming matters, you better not hesitate to check for an expert to help you.
