Tree pruning in Missouri is an important professional service that beautifies and reinforces your trees so they can fight off pests, diseases and inclement weather – and look good while doing it!
Pruning must be done if you want healthy trees, but it must be done correctly by someone who has experience in what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from MO Tree Trimming. Homeowners may be able to prune and trim trees safely while they are still small and developing, but you also may do irreparable damage to the tree.
To safely prune trees, you should know all of the following:
- When is the best time to prune your types of trees
- How much of the tree should be trimmed at a time
- Where to cut the branches so you do not harm the tree
Taking too much off of a tree can kill it or cause structural damage, but minimal trimming done each year benefits trees in several ways. Pruning helps to improve the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, eliminates dead or diseased portions and expedites fruit or flower production.
Ideally, pruning needs to be performed each year, but as trees get older, you might be able to go two years between pruning services. Regardless of how often you have your trees trimmed, be sure your arborist is qualified to perform the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call MO Tree Trimming in Missouri!
Types of Tree Pruning Methods
There are 7 different ways to correctly prune a tree so that it grows healthier and stronger year after year.
Depending on the shape, type and health status of your trees, one method could be more effective than another, but each technique has distinct benefits to consider.
Crown Thinning Your Trees
Crown thinning is popular for older, overgrown trees in Missouri. This technique removes weak branches within the crown to improve sunlight and air flow throughout the crown. Air flow is especially important to help prevent disease.
This pruning method also gets rid of branches and limbs that are touching so they no longer rub against one another and break or cause weakened areas that can be an access point for insects and pests. Limbs that grow at strange angles are typically removed during crown thinning.
Crown Raising Your Trees
This tree trimming method only removes branches and limbs at the lowest part of the crown so new limbs start higher up on the trunk of the tree. Letting low branches get too large makes them very difficult to cut off, and they can draw nutrients away from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weak tree.
There are a variety of reasons you might choose to raise the crown of a tree. Many times, it is done in order to clear the line of sight for cars and pedestrians, but it can also be done to free up space for landscaping beneath the tree.
It is a common method for overgrown trees that are close to homes and buildings.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction reduces the overall size of the tree’s crown from its exterior edges. It shortens limbs horizontally and vertically to keep the tree at a manageable size. By lowering the size of the crown, you can eliminate the need to cut down the tree because it won’t interfere with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.
Even if the tree isn’t close to structures like those listed above, crown reduction will make the tree look much better because it also eliminates irregular growth. This is a smart idea for trees that are a variety of ages but are supposed to look uniform.
Crown Cleaning
Also known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive tree trimming technique that removes dying, broken or diseased branches so that the remaining sections of the tree may grow normally. These limbs can only cause problems over time.
Crown cleaning makes the tree look much better, and it prevents limbs from rubbing together. And it is a safety practice that reduces the likelihood of falling branches, since healthy branches do not fall very often.
Crown Restoration
Crown restoration is a focused pruning technique used on trees that were severely damaged (either by pests or weather). It must only be attempted by a professional who knows how the tree is likely to grow over time and how long it’s restoration will take.
Unlike most other tree trimming services, crown restoration happens during an extended time period with conservative pruning that reshapes the tree. The arborist should have a plan to restore the tree, but also be flexible as the tree grows and reshapes on its own, working with the tree’s new growth.
Vista Pruning
If you want trees that increase curb appeal, you are actually interested in vista pruning. The intent of vista pruning is to make the tree more aesthetically pleasing from a particular vantage point.
It consists of many tree trimming techniques including crown thinning, crown reduction and crown cleaning – anything that makes the trees look prettier. Remember, though, that a professional will never jeopardize the health of a tree, so the focus of vista pruning is still to maintain strong, healthy trees.
Espalier Pruning
Espaliered trees are pruned heavily to grow flat against a wall or a trellis. It is a different style of trimming that will draw a lot of attention to your lawn. Espalier pruning has to begin when the tree is very young and then done routinely throughout the tree’s life span.
Some of the benefits of espalier pruning include facilitating maximum sunlight to reach the trees, as well as making it easier to harvest fruit.
Professional Tree Pruning in Missouri
Tree pruning can be dangerous for a tree, your lawn, and, of course, for you! MO Tree Trimming highly suggests professional tree trimming over attempting DIY.
Aside from the many dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of damage to a tree if you don’t prune it correctly. Over-pruning is one of the most common mistakes made by homeowners trimming their own trees.
Trees in Missouri that get routine care from a professional are much better off, and hiring a certified arborist from MO Tree Trimming to prune trees on your property is a decision you won’t regret. Locate your city in our service area. We work with arborists throughout the entire state of Missouri!
