Winter serves as one of the most ideal seasons to do any of your tree trimming and pruning. During this season, the trees remain dormant and with no leaves. This change allows for easy cuts and the ability to see exactly what needs to be done. Knowing important tips regarding this chore can give you the upper hand, as well. However, making mistakes when tree trimming can lead to an undesirable outcome, making knowing how to do it correctly so much more important.
Don’t Make These Mistakes!
Here are our tips on what you should avoid doing when tree trimming the trees in your landscape this winter.
Making Bad Cuts
- First, don’t leave any branch stubs on your trees while tree trimming. These are otherwise known as stub cuts.
- Basically, this is when you don’t prune all the way back to the branch collar. Results show in your trees sporting halfway cut-off limbs that won’t heal properly.
- Another cut to be wary of and avoid at all costs is what’s known as a flush cut.
- This is when you cut off the branch collar which serves as the tree’s natural protection boundary.
- To not risk doing this and potentially jeopardizing the integrity of your tree, leave the branch bark ridge intact with the collar where the branch connects to the trunk.
Topping Your Tree
- One of the worst ways of mismanaging your tree is what’s referred to as topping.
- Topping is when you decide that your tree is too tall, and want to trim the top off of it.
- What this does is instantly weaken the tree and projects it into a shock and repair mode. In this mode, it’s attempting to regrow its main leader in a variety of places.
- This ultimately results in the opposite of what is preferred. It creates a sort of bushy growth that is costly to repair.
- Don’t make this mistake by trimming lateral branches to reduce your tree’s total size.
The Three-Cut Method
- A common mistake made during tree trimming is when someone is in the middle of an improper cut and a heavy branch falls ripping bark from the tree.
- The simple solution to this is to use the three-cut method.
- The three-cut method is to first make an undercut, then remove the branch, and lastly remove the stub.
The most important mistake homeowners make is not calling the professionals to assist them in their tree trimming responsibilities. This type of chore may seem easy and non-challenging, but in reality, it can be very complicated and dangerous work. Consider taking expert advice and recommendations if you are new to this type of work to ensure you are going about it the right way.
Professional Tree Trimming Just A Phone Call Away
Don’t allow the trees in your landscape to go unmanaged and end up in an unhealthy state! Doing so leaves an unwanted appearance across your property. We have your back here at Chorbie and are always excited to help out as much as we possibly can. Contact us now for more information about how we can make your life easier by tending to the trees among your landscape.
Now that you know what to avoid when tree trimming, take a look at some of the most important tips! Additionally, explore just why this season is the best for tree trimming.
