If you’re a homeowner, it’s important to know the benefits of trimming trees in the spring. Similarly, pruning trees during dormancy promotes strong new growth and protects against tree pests and diseases that are active at this time. This blog should hopefully educate you on how trimming and pruning trees in this season can benefit your home and property.
Enhances The Appearance Of The Tree
Tree trimming helps a tree look its best by removing dead, diseased, or damaged branches. It also encourages new growth and shapes the tree’s canopy. Many homeowners trim their trees after a storm has caused damage or when the lower branches are posing hazards. It can also be done to encourage flowers and fruit production, trigger new growth, and help prevent diseases by allowing better airflow. Trees can also be trimmed in the spring to shape them for aesthetics. This should be done with minimal pruning, and the goal should be to remove no more than 10% of the branches on a tree.
Prevents Insect Infestations
Insects are a major threat to many types of trees. These pests weaken or kill the tree, and they can attract rodents into the yard. In the spring, trimming off decaying or dead branches can help prevent insect infestations on your trees. Trimming off these branches is also a good way to keep the trunk of the tree healthy. Scale insects are a common tree pest that can cause significant damage to fruit and ornamental plants, particularly those of the citrus family. They form hard, colored bumps on plant stems, leaves and fruit. They feed by sucking plant juices and produce sticky honeydew that forms black mold. Extensive scale infestations are difficult to beat and can even kill a tree.
Prevents Damage To Property
When done properly, trimming trees can prevent damage to nearby property. Trimming dead branches or overgrown limbs can protect against storm damage, reduce the risk of pest infestations and even help keep the tree’s structure strong. Trimming a tree’s main limbs can help create an open canopy that’s more attractive to the eye. If you’re unsure whether a tree needs to be trimmed in the spring, contact a local certified arborist to make sure it doesn’t pose any dangers to your home or other structures. They can also recommend the best time to trim a specific tree.
Prevents Diseases
Pruning trees in the spring is an excellent way to prevent tree diseases. These diseases can attack a tree and spread from branch to branch, destroying it in the process. These diseases are more active during the spring and summer. They spread via insects like beetles, which feed on the fresh sap of oak trees and bring the fungal spores from the cutting to other oaks in the area. Spring pruning can eliminate the branches and area that carry these fungi. It can also help prevent them from spreading to new growth on the tree.