Repeated removal of large amounts of foliage can result in a decline in tree health or, even worse, the death of a tree. When too much foliage is removed from the top canopy of a tree, excessive exposure of bark tissue to the sun can cause “sunburn” or damage the bark and the underlying vascular system. Excessive pruning will reduce the number of leaves available to produce food for the tree. If you prune a tree too much, the tree can weaken, allowing pests and diseases to take hold.
Pruning cuts can stimulate new growths that, unfortunately, die as temperatures drop to zero. Trees and shrubs reduce their energy production as the growing season ends, so new growth in autumn will use the energy reserves stored in the plant. Regressive death due to a freeze means that the energy used for this growth was wasted. If you're not sure how much to prune your trees and shrubs, contact Elite Tree Care for more information.
At Davey Tree, we pride ourselves on providing fast, professional, and personalized service from certified arborists who live, work and participate in their community. Homeowners who want to reduce the size of their trees and hire cheap tree trimmers often end up with trees in the crown. As treetops fill up after spring growth, you may notice that your trees suddenly block your view, crash into your house, or get in the way of foot or vehicle traffic. A pine tree will not be affected too much, since there is not much weight on the branches, but there is a large, mature oak.
You should also ensure that your tree pruners have the experience and training to properly prune your tree species and the type of work you want to do (crown reduction, crown cleaning). It is best to rely on the experience of an arborist, as they will closely examine the tree and consider several factors before deciding how much and what should be pruned from your tree. Tree pruning and pruning can be done year-round, but there are specific trees that should only be pruned at certain times. Before you hire someone to prune your trees or reduce their size, ask them to write down how they are going to do the job.
At the end of the day, the right amount to prune a tree will also depend on the maturity of the tree and the reason for pruning. If you hire a low-cost or unlicensed tree trimmer, you may be responsible for paying for repairs to your property or for corrective pruning of your trees. If a tree has about 30% of its foliage removed, either by pruning or storm damage in a year, you should not continue pruning it. You should hire a tree trimming service every 2 to 3 years to remove dead branches for your health and the longevity of your trees.
By getting rid of some of the dead, crossed and unwanted branches of a tree, you'll help improve the health of the tree and strengthen its roots by eliminating excess weight that can be a burden on the tree. Although the wound is basically closed instantly with the sealant, the idea is that the tree grows on it, but in the long term the tree takes longer to heal and the rest of the pests and diseases that take hold increases.
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