In this guide we will share the different methods What is Tree Pruning and why Tree Service. Trees are a wonderful addition to any property from providing shade to enhancing your property beauty, but trees need boundaries this is why having trees trimmed are a must if you want to keep them healthy and your home safe. When trees are not trimmed to remove unwanted branches, they can create damages such as a storm that makes a branch land on your roof creating impact damages to your shingles and trimming trees will also make landscape maintenance much easier. When a tree ages and grows the branches remain the same distance from the ground regardless of how tall the tree becomes and these low hanging branches when untrimmed can make cutting grass a real hassle, this is where tree trimming can help.
Tree Trimming vs Tree Pruning?
Many of Katy homeowners do not understand that tree trimming vs tree pruning are two uniquely different services that occur at different seasons of the year and for different reasons. When you contact a local tree service company in Katy TX if you need service for trees or shrubs to grow healthy then you need to trim your trees. The tree service company will arrive to remove green shoots that will aid in your trees growth, consider it like a hair trim. When we visit a hair salon, we may just want to trim our hair and bangs up so that our hair looks healthier and grows better. Trees being a living thing are really the same but then there is also a tree service known as tree pruning, unlike tree trimming that improves the overall appearance of your tree focus on removing unnecessary branches and sometimes roots that are diseased, decayed, or causing problems such as touching a power line or every time the wind blows scrapping up your gutters. When branches grow in the wrong direction they need to be pruned. Consider tree pruning as a investment into the long term health of your beloved tree and the security that when storms come your home is safe.
Thinking of trimming your trees yourself? You may want to think again, if the branches extend over your property you are not under the affirmative duty to do so even if the branches are creating a safety hazard you want to speak with your neighbor o call a professional tree trimming service in Katy TX who can assist with your project.
Tree Pruning Methods
Before starting your project, you also want to know which method to use so that your tree remains healthy, and you have the right equipment for the job.
Crown Cleaning: The basic method for removal of broken or damaged branches is crown cleaning. The crown of your tree is the branches, leaves, and reproductive structure that grows past the trunk of the tree extending into the skies to provide shading. While removing the diseased and decayed limbs are important to the safety of your home if you want your tree to live its best life then tree pruning is also an important step in the process.
Crown Thinning: This is a tree pruning technique that will open up the foliage of a tree to reduce the weight think of it as having your think hair thinned out, how much lighter do you feel when all the bulk is removed? However, when pruning a tree, you want to make sure only ¼ of the live foliage is removed or the tree can go into shock and sprouting may occur. The purpose of crown thinning is to allow light penetration so that sunlight can reach the ground beneath the tree and for air circulation which gives the tree and consequently your property additional help as the tree is better able to withstand storm weather. Not only will crown thinning make your tree healthier but when you work with an experienced tree service company in Katy TX, they can thin the crown in such a way that it adds elegance to your landscape to enhance your overall curb appeal.
Crown Raising
In addition to crown thinning, you may consider raising the crown of the trees canopy to provide better grown clearance making it easier to mow the lawn or do gardening without tree branches whacking you in the head, ouch! You may only need to raise certain areas or the entire bottom of the tree depending on the trees crown but its recommended that you raise the entire lower canopy to 8-10 inches above ground
Crown Reduction
As your tree ages the crown becomes larger which can interfere with lights, signs, and buildings so to decrease the height of the tree a pruning technique called crown reduction may be necessary to decrease the trees canopy. The tree company you choose will climb to the edge of the crown to cut back the lateral branches tips on over extended branches to remove defects without damaging the structural integrity of the tree. When you reduce the crown the suggestion is to have the crown cut down to a 3-5” clearance form any home or building.
Crown Restoration
This pruning method occurs most often after a severe storm resulting in high winds has damaged your tree. The goal is to bring the tree back to the healthiest condition possible prior to the storm by cutting back the branches to smaller than normal sized lateral branches so that its shape and appearance can be regained as the tree grows back. You will want to give your tree some time before starting repairs so that it can replenish its energy from this stressful event.
How Often Should I Trim my Trees?
The good news is that tree trimming is generally not something that has to be added to your spring to-do list. In fact most mature trees only need to be trimmed every 3 to 5 years or when the crown starts to interfere with your home, signs or power lines. If your tree is younger than every 2 to 3 years, the one exception is fruit trees. In Katy we are pretty fortunate to have the right sub-tropical climate that grows amazing fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, and citrus just to name a few and if you want the best tasting fruit, you know the kind you bite into and exhale their juicy flavors then you want to have them pruned once a year. The best time to trim a tree is generally in the spring or late winter but you can trim a tree in summer or fall just remember by trimming trees in the spring you will make sure they don’t loose all their energy and never trim to much this is why hiring a tree service in Katy TX is important to the overall health of your tree. If you do decide to go the, do it yourself route then be extra cautious to not over prune the tree. The goal of pruning your tree is to remove no more than 30% of the trees living tissues. If a tree has more than 30% of the leaves or greenery removed either with tree trimming out from storms it can leave the tree exposed to diseases and pest infestation. Over pruning a tree can also make the tree more vulnerable to severe storms such as high winds
Should You Trim Your Own Trees or Hire A Tree Service?
This all depends on the condition of your tree and the safety risk involved, if you are reducing the crown and have no experience climbing a tree or lack proper safety gear then you want to outsource or if the tree creates an unsafe environment due to dead branches, diseases, or weak limbs then its best to work with an experienced tree service that has the knowledge, tools, and expertise to get the job done in a safe manner. If you are seeking a tree service company for tree trimming in Katy TX, then we suggested giving Emerson Home Exterior Enhancements a call for a free quote at 281-545-7740 or visiting them online to complete the form.