When it comes to the question, “What season is best for tree trimming?” The answer can be vague.
Tree type usually dictates when many species are able to be pruned, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other plants and trees in the landscape.
With the help of a certified arborist in North Dakota, you can figure out what season is the best for trimming your trees to prepare them for success next season and beyond.
Best Season to Trim Trees
Without any other context, ND Tree Trimming recommends trimming trees during the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in most areas. This season is ideal because trees are typically dormant, so trimming will lead to a minimal amount of damage, if any.
There are a lot of benefits to pruning trees during the winter:
Less chance of pest damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are mostly inactive during the winter in North Dakota. Throughout the rest of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm a newly pruned tree because the tree is most vulnerable and these issues are more common during warmer weather.
Easier to see the shape of the tree when the leaves are gone – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the overall shape of a tree. When tree branches are bare, it is much easier to identify dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.
Trees can heal before spring – By performing major pruning during the winter, your trees will have many months to build up callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By spring season, you’ll hardly be able to notice where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.
Less chance of harming nearby landscape – Most of the surrounding trees and greenery will also be dormant during this time, so there is a lower risk of damaging them. Most of the time, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer months, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter since these annuals already died out.
Do All Trees Need Pruning?
Yes, all trees will benefit from annual trimming. Tree trimming each winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Healthier
Dying and diseased limbs are cut off, as are branch stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against one another are also trimmed so that they don’t weaken one another or cause an open wound on the tree.
Trimming trees every winter is also a good way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early signs of decay, disease and pest problems can be spotted and handled immediately.
A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree becomes overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to get to every branch. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.
Pruned trees, on the other hand, produce more fruit, healthier leaves and offer better shade. They are much fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping issues. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, pruning each winter will maximize the results you desire from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Trimming
If the view of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is a necessity! Trimming trees results in an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is very important if you have several similar trees on your property.
Trimming lower branches and upper branches that grow at awkward angles improves the overall look of the tree while also strengthening tree health.
Less Chance of Falling Branches
Tree trimming – from an arborist – encourages the remaining tree branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t affect your trees the same way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be safer living under and around trimmed trees.
Another safety issue for large trees is that they can block the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree pruning, crown raising and other professional tree care services will keep the tree at a manageable size and prevent it from blocking various views.
Call ND Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning
Working with a certified arborist in North Dakota gives you access to their expert knowledge on the subject of tree pruning. We strongly recommend relying on their expertise if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.
An arborist doesn’t only look at the immediate situation. Instead, an arborist will take time to research your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that may put them at risk of disease or infestation). After collecting all the information, an arborist will create a long-term plan based on the trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until the goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan might require years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.
This kind of ongoing maintenance will promote healthy tree growth, help your entire property resist plant diseases and enhance flower or fruit production from the trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or branches.
Being proactive about tree pruning can save you a lot of money too. Preventative maintenance is much more cost-effective than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or restoring an ill tree from a disease that has gotten out of control (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your landscaping, trust a certified arborist for tree trimming and maintenance from ND Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of North Dakota. Call now!
