Trees offer shade, give homes to wildlife, and make your property beautiful. Because they are living things, they need TLC to continue to thrive. Regular trimming, or pruning, is a necessary part of keeping them healthy and safe. Many homeowners avoid pruning because they’re afraid of hurting the tree. However, when trusting the job to a licensed professional, you can be sure you will never go wrong. Here are the basics of good tree care that arborists follow to make certain your trees remain healthy for many years.

Why Pruning Matters for Tree Health

Dead or dying branches can become weak spots that can cause significant trouble in time. Since they are decaying, they’re a doorway for diseases and pests to get into the rest of the tree. If these diseases and pests are allowed to linger long enough, they can spread to other trees nearby. Then, you have an even bigger and more expensive problem to mitigate. When you remove these damaged branches, you’re preventing the spread of illness, and you’re also eliminating potential hazards, such as damage to property and injury to those nearby. Your tree will be much safer in a strong wind.

Furthermore, trimming encourages better air circulation throughout the canopy of the tree. This is the umbrella of leaves at the top. Better airflow helps to stop fungi and other diseases from growing on the leaves and bark. If the leaves stay dry, they stay healthy.

Timing Is Key

Arborists have the training to know that you can’t prune trees at the wrong time of year. For most trees, late winter or early spring is the ideal time for routine maintenance pruning because the tree is dormant. During dormancy, the tree has stored energy. Since it isn’t trying to grow new leaves, it can quickly heal the cuts arborists make.

Although arborists can see the branch structure clearly when the leaves are gone, they will always avoid major pruning during late spring and early summer because the trees are spending a lot of energy working hard to grow new leaves and flowers. However, if you see a broken branch, you should call a licensed professional to remove it right away, regardless of the season. This is because safety always comes first, and a broken branch could fall at any time.

Making Pruning Effective From Cutting the Right Way

When arborists prune trees, they’re not merely hacking off whatever looks messy. They pay careful attention to where and how to cut to avoid damaging the tree’s ability to heal itself. They will aim to cut just outside the branch collar. This is the small, swollen ring of tissue where the branch connects to the trunk or a larger branch. This collar contains the special cells the tree uses to form a protective callous over the wound, like a plant band-aid. So, leaving it intact is essential for quick recovery. If you cut the branch flush against the trunk, you injure the collar and leave a larger, slower-healing wound. You’ll also make the tree vulnerable to disease and decay.

If it has been some time since your trees have been shown some love, schedule an appointment with an arborist. Call Robert’s Tree Service for trimming and pruning in Albuquerque, NM.