Tree pruning in Utah is an important professional service that can beautify and reinforce your trees so they can fight off pests, diseases and severe weather – and look wonderful while doing it!
Pruning has to be completed if you want a healthy tree, but it needs to be done properly by someone who knows what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from UT Tree Trimming. Homeowners may be able to prune trees safely while they are small and growing, but you also may do permanent harm to the tree in the process.
To correctly prune trees, you need to know all of the following:
- When is the best time to prune your species of trees
- How much of the tree should be pruned at a time
- Where to cut the branches so you do not damage the tree
Taking too much from a tree could kill it or lead to structural damage, but minimal trimming done each year benefits trees in a lot of ways. Pruning improves the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, removes dying or diseased branches and expedites fruit or flower production.
Ideally, pruning needs to be done each year, but as trees get older, you may be able to wait two years between pruning services. Regardless of how routinely you have your trees trimmed, ensure your arborist is qualified to do the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call UT Tree Trimming in Utah!
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 pruning method might be more effective than another, but each technique has distinct benefits.
Crown Thinning Your Trees
Crown thinning is typical for larger, overgrown trees in Utah. This process eliminates weak branches within the crown of the tree to allow more light and air flow within the crown. Air flow is important to help prevent disease.
This pruning technique also gets rid of branches that are touching so they no longer rub up against each other and break or create weakened areas that can be an access point for pests. Limbs that grow at odd angles are almost always removed during crown thinning.
Crown Raising Your Trees
This tree trimming method removes branches and limbs at the lowest part of the crown so new limbs start higher up on the trunk of the tree. Allowing low branches to get too big makes them hard to remove, and they can draw nutrients away from the top of the tree, resulting in less fruit and a weak tree.
There are several reasons you may decide to raise the crown of a tree. Often, it is done to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can be done to free up space for landscaping under the tree.
It is a very common technique for overgrown trees that are too close to homes and other buildings.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction lowers the overall size of the tree’s crown from its outer edge. It shortens limbs horizontally and vertically to keep the tree at a certain size. By lowering the size of the crown, you can eliminate the need to chop the tree down because it won’t come into contact with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.
Even if the tree isn’t near structures like those listed above, crown reduction can make the tree look much better because it eliminates irregular growth. This is a smart idea for trees that are various ages but you want to look consistent.
Crown Cleaning
Also known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive type of trimming technique that removes dead, snapped or diseased limbs so that the rest of the tree may grow normally. These limbs can only create issues over time.
Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look much better, and it stops limbs from rubbing together. It is also a safety practice that reduces the chance of branches falling, because healthy branches rarely fall.
Crown Restoration
Crown restoration is an advanced pruning method for trees that were significantly damaged (either by pests or weather). It should only be attempted by an experienced arborist who knows how the tree is likely to grow in the future and how long it’s restoration is going to take.
Unlike most other tree trimming services, crown restoration happens during an extended time period with conservative pruning that reshapes the tree. The arborist must have a plan to restore the tree, but also must be flexible as the tree grows and reshapes on its own, working with the tree’s new growth.
Vista Pruning
If you want trees to add to curb appeal, you are actually interested in vista pruning. The purpose of vista pruning is to help to make the tree more visually pleasing from a particular viewing point.
It consists of many pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown reduction and crown cleaning – any technique that helps the trees look more attractive. Remember, though, that an arborist will never jeopardize the health of a tree, so the primary focus of vista pruning is still to create strong, healthy trees.
Espalier Pruning
Espaliered trees are heavily pruned to grow flat up against walls or a trellis. It is a unique style of tree trimming that is sure to attract a lot of attention to your yard. Espalier pruning should be started when the tree is very young and then continued very consistently during the tree’s life span.
Some of the benefits of espalier pruning include allowing maximum sunlight to reach the trees, as well as making it exceptionally easier to harvest fruit.
Professional Tree Pruning in Utah
Tree trimming can be dangerous for a tree, your landscaping, and, of course, for you! UT Tree Trimming highly suggests professional tree trimming over DIY.
Besides the many dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of harm to a tree if you don’t know how to trim it properly. Excessive pruning is one of the most typical mistakes made by homeowners caring for their own trees.
Trees in Utah that get annual care from a professionals are much better off, and hiring a certified arborist from UT 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 Utah!
