Several tasks are important to do as part of your routine tree trimming before the holidays. On the other hand, there are some clear things that you must avoid with this process. Take great care with pruning your trees, and you’ll definitely see the benefits.
Do’s for Late Fall/Early Winter Tree Pruning
1. Dormant Season Pruning: You’ll want to prune your trees after they have gone dormant. This means that they are in a state of rest and storing up energy for the spring. If you keep most of your pruning to this time of year, it won’t negatively affect new growth. The tree can use its resources to heal the wounds from pruning cuts.
2. Assess Your Trees to Determine Their Current Health
Look over your trees and find any spots of weakness, such as disease or damaged branches. Then have a professional remove these first to avoid injury. You’ll also be able to get to the healthier parts of the tree. Also, an arborist should thin out the canopy to allow more sunlight to get through to your yard and home.
3. Use Proper Tools
Make sure you have the right tools, such as hand pruners for simple cuts on smaller branches. Leave the larger branches to professionals. Professionals often use hand saws, loppers, and pole pruners. If you’re tacking a small cut yourself, don’t forget to use some protective gear, such as gloves and eyewear.
Don’ts for Pruning Before the Holidays
1. Avoid Over-Pruning and Over-Trimming
Be careful that you don’t do any excessive pruning or trimming. Removing too much of the foliage makes it so that the tree can’t produce food as easily through photosynthesis. If you trim too much of a tree’s canopy, it can disrupt its growth and make it more prone to environmental stress. As a general rule, don’t cut off more than one-third of the live branches during a growing season.
2. Cutting Too Close to the Trunk
Avoid making cuts too close to the trunk. You also don’t want to leave long stubs. Both of these mistakes can prevent your tree from healing properly, making it vulnerable to decay.
3. Using Dull or Dirty Tools
Make sure to keep your tools sharp so that you can make cleaner cuts that will heal faster. Keep them as clean as possible to avoid infection.
Tree trimming is tricky no matter the time of year. When you conduct your late fall or early winter trimming to get ready for the holidays, take precautions and make sure you do all the steps properly. Reach out to us at Lafayette Huesca Tree Services for assistance with your tree trimming and other tree service needs in Lafayette, IN.
