When and Why to Prune Trees
Pruning trees is a basic part of tree care, and it provides a number of benefits both for the tree and for the surrounding property. Not pruning trees can lead to health problems for the tree and even danger for people who go near it.
When Should Trees be Pruned?
Optimum pruning times vary for different types of trees. In Arizona, winter is a great time to prune deciduous trees when there are less leaves for better visibility. Also, plants that are more sensitive to heat should be pruned during the winter months. However, you should avoid heavy pruning of citrus trees and other sensitive types in the winter to prevent frost from damaging the newly trimmed limbs. If you’re unsure when to prune your trees, contact Victor’s Landscaping for expert advice on your commercial or residential landscaping.
Why Should Trees be Pruned?
Whether you want to sell your property or merely make it look neater, pruning is essential. Not only does it remove older growth that may be shriveling up or about to drop off the tree, but it also gives the tree a tidier look. The benefit of this may be obvious for residential landscaping (in fact, Society Mortgage says homeowners planning to sell are almost always advised to work on their landscaping by real estate agents), but it’s not always evident why this is such a big deal for commercial properties.
The benefit of commercial landscaping is that a neater appearance makes the property, and thus the business, look like they’re well cared for. Liabilities caused by unhealthy, unsafe trees should always be addressed. Customers or clients will note how clean the property looks and get a better impression of how the owners and managers take care of everything.
Less Competition for Resources
Pruning trees also helps the growth for the next season be more robust. Trees can take up only so many nutrients from the soil and produce only so much energy from sunlight. Too much tree material (extra leaves, weaker branches, and so on) takes resources away from the other leaves, flowers, and branches. By pruning off unproductive and failing limbs, you free up the resources that those parts would have taken. In spring, when the tree is flowering, removing extra flowers can help the remaining flowers look stunning.
Poor Pruning Practices Yield Poor Results
Many inexperienced tree trimmers hollow out the inside of trees without addressing the weight on the ends, (called “lion tailing”) which leads to eventual failure of the limb. Lateral limbs should be properly spaced along parent limbs to allow for taper that gives each limb, and by extension, the tree as a whole, structural integrity. If cuts are made too close to the trunk they will damage the trunk; if they are not made close enough they can cause excessive sprouting, and disable the healing process. Another common mistake is raising the canopy too high, causing sun damage to the trunk.
Victor’s Landscaping in Phoenix has the knowledgeable experienced professionals to prune trees for better shape and health. If you’re at a commercial property, the company can get the work done with a minimum of inconvenience to your staff and customers. Winter is here, now is a great time to call Victor’s Landscaping for tree service, for both commercial and residential landscaping.
