One of the most critical parts of keeping your trees in good condition is pruning. Pruning helps your trees grow in a healthy way, while encouraging the spread of leaves and branches to be aesthetically appealing. Pruning also plays a role in safety by removing branches that pose a risk to your home or your outdoor area. When you prune, you should work with a certified arborist and stick to a schedule recommended by your landscaping company. Keep these dos and don’ts in mind to keep your trees in healthy condition.
Don’t Prune for the Sake of It
Pruning is necessary, but it can also be traumatic for your trees. Because of this, you should have a good reason for every pruning session. That reason can be anything from seasonal maintenance to treating a disease to removing branches that risk intersecting with powerlines or other hazards.
Do Prune Conservatively
No single pruning session should involve removing more than 25% of the foliage, and new trees shouldn’t be pruned at all in their first year, unless there are dead branches. Inner foliage should never be removed, nor should inner branches. This is called lion tailing and is very damaging to the stability and growth of your tree. Branch collars should never be removed.
Don’t Prune Without a Professional
Pruning is not a DIY job. Certified arborists follow specific pruning standards that are designed to help trees thrive, and they know exactly what can be cut and what shouldn’t be cut to maximize the health of your trees. Tree pruning also involves working with potentially dangerous tools up high, which should be left to professionals for the sake of safety.
Complete Landscaping has four arborists in Tucson on staff to help all of our customers get appropriate care for their trees. Contact us today with your questions about tree pruning and our other landscaping services by calling (520) 323-8918.