When it comes to the question, “What season is best for tree trimming?” The answer is sometimes indirect.
The type of tree often dictates when many species are able to be pruned, along with pest population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees nearby.
With the help of a professional arborist in Missouri, you can figure out what season is ideal for pruning your trees to prepare them for success next season and every year after that.
Best Season to Trim Trees
Without any other information, MO Tree Trimming recommends tree trimming in the winter. This would be sometime within November to March in most areas. Winter is best because the trees are usually dormant, so trimming will lead to a minimal amount of harm, if any.
There are a lot of benefits to pruning trees in the winter:
Lower risk of insect damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are usually inactive in the winter in Missouri. During the remainder of the year, everything from insects to fungus can affect a freshly pruned tree because the tree is most vulnerable and these issues thrive during warmer weather.
Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the overall shape of your tree. When the tree branches are bare, it is much easier to see dead or diseased branches and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.
Trees can heal before spring – By doing this significant pruning in the winter, your trees have many months to rebuild callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll barely be able to identify where the branches were trimmed, and the tree will be able to use its energy to produce brand new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.
Less chance of damaging surrounding landscape – Most of the nearby trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is a lower risk of damaging them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer months, but there are no plants to be disturbed during the winter months since these annuals already died out.
Do All Trees Need Pruning?
Yes, all trees can benefit from annual pruning. Tree pruning in the winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Healthier
Dying and diseased branches are cut off, as are stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against each other are also pruned so that they don’t weaken each other or create an open wound on the tree.
Trimming trees every year is a great way to get expert eyes on your trees so that early signs of decay, disease and insect infestations can be identified and dealt with right away.
A Cared-For Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree is overgrown, it starts to be hard for water and nutrients to reach every limb. This can leave the tree looking scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.
Trimmed trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and provide better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to cause landscaping problems. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, pruning will improve the results you desire from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Trimming
If the view of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is a necessity! Trimming trees results in an attractive, uniform shape and size. This is very important if you have a lot of identical trees on your property.
Cutting off lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles enhances the overall beauty of the tree while also strengthening tree health.
Less Chance of Dropping Branches
Tree pruning – from an arborist – encourages the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in Missouri won’t affect your trees the same way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around pruned trees.
Another safety concern for large trees is that they can block the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree pruning, crown raising and other certified tree care services will keep the tree at a manageable size and prevent it from blocking various views.
Call MO Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning
Hiring a professional arborist in Missouri gives you access to their expert knowledge on tree trimming. We recommend relying on their expertise if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for awhile.
An arborist won’t just consider the current situation. Instead, an experienced arborist will take time to research your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and factors that may put them at risk of disease or infestation). After collecting all of the information, an arborist will suggest a long-term plan based on the trees’ needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan could take many years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.
This kind of annual maintenance will aid in healthy tree growth, help your entire property fight off plant diseases and increase flower or fruit production from the trees. It will also strengthen your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or limbs.
Being proactive about tree trimming will save you a lot of money too. Preventative maintenance is much more cost-effective than paying for emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing an ill tree from a disease that has gotten out of hand (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from MO Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Missouri. Call today!
