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Keys to Effective Tree Pruning

Top Tips on Tree Pruning | Tree Care Dallas | Southern Botanical

From the old to the new, your trees need regular care and maintenance so they will thrive and look their best. If you’ve never maintained a garden before, the idea of caring for your landscape can be daunting. How often should you trim your trees, which plants will flourish, where do you even begin?

Having trees around your home yields many benefits. However, an unhealthy tree can bring costly problems and will affect your home’s safety and curb appeal. Whether it’s giving a nice trimming or keeping a large tree in scale, smart and effective tree pruning can enhance a tree’s appearance. Trees showcase their flowers more effectively when pruned the right way.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, our team at Southern Botanical, your Dallas tree pruning experts, is here to help.

Understand the basics

If you are serious about having a beautiful, healthy lawn, it’s essential to understand why pruning trees is a must. It sounds like a basic task, but a lot of homeowners are unaware of its benefits and effects.

Pruning involves removing broken, unhealthy, or dead tree limbs to preserve its health. This is typically done routinely as a safety precaution, as trees tend to fall over or break when they become overgrown and heavy.

Pruning enhances plant health, boosts flower production, and makes the tree – as well as your landscape – more beautiful when done the right way. Incorrect pruning techniques may cause the tree some permanent damage.

Plan ahead of time

This is your best bet for success in tree care. You need to plan out which branches, and which trees need pruning.

Begin by removing all broken, dead, or problem limbs. Cut them at the point of origin, then continue by moving on to the thicker, larger branches.

When removing the final stump, be sure to angle your cut away from the tree and cut close to the trunk to ensure proper healing.

If you have mature trees, be sure to inspect them on a regular basis to assess its overall health and structure. To enhance air movement and light penetration,  those with a thick foliage may benefit from crown thinning.

Use proper tools

Now it’s time to choose the proper tools. Use hand shears or hand pruners to remove dead and broken limbs. You can also use a bypass or an anvil hand shear. Some go for bypass pruners because they normally leave a cleaner, smoother cut.

For bigger, thicker branches, pruning saws or loppers do the job best. These tools can cut with a larger diameter. To keep your tools in great condition, disinfect the blades after each use and store them in a dry room.

Safety first

Remove diseased branches before they infect the rest of the tree. Broken and dead branches should be pruned before insects burrow and take residence in the tree. Pruning effectively also lessens potentially hazardous situations. Huge dangling, dead branches should be removed, especially those that interfere with lawn mowers or vehicles. Cut those branches that touch the house on windy days. Removing branches that threaten power lines should help eliminate serious issues, but leave this chore to the pros.

Tree pruning

Follow the tips outlined below for best results. Don’t forget to shred the cuttings to use as mulch or add to the compost pile.

  • Keep it strong. Reduce or remove the length of stems that compete with the main branch.
  • Keep it uniform. Remove any branches that look out of place, and those that cross or touch each other.
  • Keep it healthy. Remove all diseased, dead, or injured branches.
  • Keep it minor. Only tackle small pruning jobs in your landscape. For taller trees, it’s best to hire your local Dallas tree pruning company.

Remember, do not cut too far from the trunk, and don’t cut too close either. Cutting too close will give the tree large flush cuts and delay the healing process. Cutting too far from the trunk will give insects an entry point.

Call for backup

Unsure about proper tree pruning methods? The Southern Botanical team is composed of experienced professionals that can handle all your landscaping needs. From pruning, trimming, to mowing, we are here to make your property the best that it can be.