Types of Tree Pruning

tree pruning types

Tree pruning in Ohio is an important landscaping service that can beautify and reinforce your trees so they can withstand insects, diseases and inclement weather – and look breathtaking while doing it!

Pruning must be done if you want healthy trees, but it has to be done properly by someone who knows what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from OH Tree Trimming. You may be able to prune and trim trees safely while they are still small, but you also may do permanent damage to the tree in the process.

To safely prune trees, you should know all of the following:

  • When to prune your types of trees
  • How much of the tree should be pruned at a time
  • Where to cut the branches so you do not harm the tree

Cutting too much from a tree could kill it or lead to structural damage, but conservative pruning done every year benefits trees in a lot of ways. Professional pruning improves the appearance of trees, makes them stronger, removes dead or diseased limbs and expedites fruit or flower production.

For the best results, pruning must be done once a year, but as trees mature, you might be able to go two years between pruning services. Regardless of how often you have your trees pruned, ensure your arborist is qualified to do the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call OH Tree Trimming in Ohio!

Types of Tree Pruning Methods

There are 7 different ways to correctly prune a tree so that it grows healthier and stronger each year.

Depending on the shape, species and health status of your trees, one method may be more beneficial than another, but each technique has distinct benefits.

Crown Thinning Your Trees

Crown thinning is typical for larger, overgrown trees in Ohio. This process removes weak branches within the crown to allow more sunlight and air flow within the crown. Air flow is especially important for disease prevention.

This tree pruning method also gets rid of branches that are touching so they no longer rub up against each other and snap or create weakened areas that can be an entry point for insects and pests. Branches that grow at strange angles are usually cut off during crown thinning.

Crown Raising Your Trees

This trimming method 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 large makes them very difficult to cut off, and they can draw nutrients from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weaker tree.

There are many reasons you may choose to raise the crown of a tree. Many times, it is done in order to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can also be done to increase space for landscaping under the tree.

It is a common technique for overgrown trees that are too close to homes and other buildings.

Crown Reduction

Crown reduction lowers the total size of the crown from its outer edge. It shortens branches vertically and horizontally to keep the tree at a manageable size. By lowering the crown size, you can eliminate the need to chop the tree down because it won’t come into contact with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.

Even if the tree isn’t close to structures like those listed above, crown reduction will make the tree look much better because it also eliminates irregular growth. This is a great idea for trees that are various ages but are supposed to look uniform.

Crown Cleaning

Also referred to as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive type of pruning method that removes dead, snapped or diseased limbs so that the remaining parts of the tree may grow normally. These branches can only create issues in the future.

Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look much better, and it stops branches from rubbing together. And it is a safety practice that lowers the risk of falling branches, because healthy branches do not fall very often.

Crown Restoration

Crown restoration is an intense pruning technique for trees that have been significantly damaged (either by pests or weather). It should be attempted by an experienced arborist who knows how the tree is likely to grow over time and roughly just how long it’s restoration will take.

Unlike most other tree trimming services, crown restoration occurs over a longer period of time with conservative pruning that reshapes the tree. Your arborist should have a definitive plan to restore the tree, but also be flexible as the tree grows and reshapes on its own, adapting to the tree’s new growth.

Vista Pruning

If you are looking for trees that help improve curb appeal, you are actually interested in vista pruning. The goal of vista pruning is to help to make the tree more visually pleasing from a particular vantage point.

It encompasses many pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown reduction and crown cleaning – any technique that helps the trees look more attractive. Remember, though, that an arborist is not going to sacrifice the health of a tree, so the primary focus of vista pruning is still to create strong, healthy trees.

Espalier Pruning

Espaliered trees are heavily pruned to grow flat against walls or a trellis. It is a unique style of pruning that is going to attract a lot of attention to your lawn. Espalier pruning should be started when the tree is young and then continued very consistently throughout the tree’s life span.

Some of the benefits of espalier pruning include allowing maximum sunlight to reach the trees, as well as making it exceptionally easier to harvest fruit.

Professional Tree Pruning in Ohio

Tree pruning can be dangerous for a tree, your lawn, and, of course, for you! OH Tree Trimming highly suggests professional tree trimming over DIY.

Besides the possible dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of harm to a tree if you don’t know how to prune it correctly. Excessive pruning is one of the most typical errors made by homeowners maintaining their own trees.

Trees in Ohio that get routine care from a professional are usually much better off, and hiring an experienced arborist from OH Tree Trimming to prune trees on your property is a choice you won’t regret. Locate your city in our service area. We work with arborists across the entire state of Ohio!

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