Tree Pruning: Not As Simple As You Think
That tree out your window looks a bit shaggy. Maybe there is a low-hanging branch obstructing your ability to enjoy your yard or get your car in the driveway. There could even be safety concerns with a tree growing near your home.
Regardless of the reason, you have decided it\’s time to prune your tree. So grab your extension ladder, your chain saw, and some shears, right?
Wrong!
Tree pruning is not a chore to cross off your \”to-do\” list at your earliest convenience. There is a purpose to tree pruning that borders on being an art form.
At Advanced Tree Care, our certified arborists take great care to prune trees in a way that sets them up for long-term success, avoiding damaging practices such as:
- \”Topping\”
- Breaching the branch collar with pruning cuts
- \”Lion-tailing\”
Topping
It cannot be stressed enough how damaging the practice of \”topping\” a tree is to the tree\’s health. Topping cuts encourage the growth of \”water spouts\”, weak growth that is unsightly and prone to future breakage.
Breaching The Branch Collar
A tree\’s branch collar, a swelling of tissue where the branch is attached to the main stem, allows a tree to efficiently close pruning wounds. When this collar is breached with a cut flush against the stem, it leaves a tree at higher risk of cankers or diseases.
Lion-Tailing
This practice is removing secondary branches along primary branches, leaving the tree bare with the exception of branch ends. This is unhealthy for the tree and a sure sign that an arborist does not know what he or she is doing.
If you have some trees that need pruning or need advice on caring for your trees, contact us today. We\’d love to help you maintain the health of your trees while beautifying your landscape and protecting your home.
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