Tree pruning in Florida is an important professional service that beautifies and reinforces trees so they will fight off insects, diseases and severe weather – and look breathtaking while doing it!
Pruning has to be completed if you want a healthy tree, but it needs to be done correctly by someone who knows what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from FL Tree Trimming. Homeowners may be able to prune trees safely while they are still small, but you also may be doing permanent harm to the tree.
To correctly prune trees, you need to know all of the following:
- When to prune your types of trees
- How much of the tree should be trimmed at at once
- Where to cut each branch so you do not harm the tree
Taking too much off of a tree could kill it or result in structural damage, but conservative pruning done annually benefits trees in a lot of ways. Pruning improves the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, eliminates dead or diseased branches and assists in fruit or flower production.
For the best results, pruning must be done annually, but as trees mature, you may be able to wait two years between major pruning services. Regardless of how often you have your trees pruned, be sure your arborist is qualified to do the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call FL Tree Trimming in Florida!
Types of Tree Pruning Methods
There are 7 ways to correctly prune a tree so that it grows stronger and healthier year after year.
Depending on the size, type and health status of your trees, one pruning method could be more effective than another, but each technique has distinct benefits.
Crown Thinning Your Trees
Crown thinning is popular for older, overgrown trees in Florida. This method eliminates weak branches within the crown of the tree to allow more sunlight and air flow within the crown. Air flow is important for disease prevention.
This tree pruning technique also gets rid of branches that are touching so they no longer rub up against one another and break or cause weaker areas that can be an access point for insects and pests. Branches that grow at odd angles are almost always cut off during crown thinning.
Crown Raising Your Trees
This trimming technique only removes branches and limbs at the lowest part of the crown so limbs start higher up on the trunk of the tree. Allowing low branches to get too big makes them very difficult to remove, and they can pull nutrients away from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weaker tree.
There are a variety of reasons you might want to raise the crown of a tree. Frequently, it is done to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can be done to create space for landscaping under the tree.
It is a common method for overgrown trees that are too close to homes and other buildings.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction reduces the overall size of the crown from its outer edge. It shortens limbs vertically and horizontally 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 come into contact with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.
Even when the tree isn’t near structures like those listed above, crown reduction will make the tree look neater because it eliminates irregular growth. This is a great idea for trees that are different ages but you want to look uniform.
Crown Cleaning
Also known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive type of pruning method that gets rid of dead, broken or diseased limbs so that the remaining parts of the tree may continue to grow normally. These branches can only cause problems in the future.
Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look much better, and it prevents branches from rubbing together. It is also a safety practice that lowers the risk of branches falling, because healthy branches do not usually fall.
Crown Restoration
Crown restoration is an intense pruning method used on trees that were significantly damaged (either by pests or weather). It should only be performed by an experienced arborist who knows where the tree is likely to grow over time and how long it’s restoration will take.
Unlike most other tree trimming services, crown restoration occurs throughout a longer time period with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. The arborist will have a definitive plan to restore the tree, but also must be flexible as the tree starts to grow and reshape on its own, adapting to the tree’s new growth.
Vista Pruning
If you want trees to help improve curb appeal, you are probably interested in vista pruning. The goal of vista pruning is to make the tree more visually pleasing from a particular viewing point.
It entails several pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown cleaning and crown reduction – anything that makes the trees look prettier. Remember, though, that a professional is not going to 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 pruning that is going to draw a lot of attention to your lawn. Espalier pruning needs to be started when the tree is very young and then done consistently 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 much easier to produce fruit.
Professional Tree Pruning in Florida
Tree trimming can be harmful to a tree, your landscaping, and, of course, for you! FL Tree Trimming highly suggests professional tree trimming over attempting DIY.
Aside from 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 errors made by homeowners trimming their own trees.
Trees in Florida that get annual care from a professionals are usually much better off, and hiring an experienced arborist from FL Tree Trimming to trim trees on your property is a decision you won’t regret. Locate your town in our service area. We work with arborists throughout the entire state of Florida!
