Tree pruning in North Dakota is an important landscaping service that beautifies and reinforces trees so they will withstand pests, diseases and severe weather – and look good while doing it!
Pruning must be done if you want healthy trees, but it has to be done carefully by someone who has experience in what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from ND Tree Trimming. You may be able to prune trees safely while they are still small, but you also may do permanent harm to the tree in the process.
To properly prune trees, you need to know all of the following:
- When is the best time to prune your types of trees
- How much of the tree can be trimmed at a time
- Where to cut each branch so you do not harm the tree
Removing too much off of a tree might kill it or cause structural damage, but minimal trimming done every year benefits trees in many ways. Professional pruning helps to improve the appearance of trees, makes them healthier, eliminates dying or diseased portions and assists in fruit or flower production.
Ideally, pruning should be completed every year, but as trees get older, you might be able to wait two years between major pruning services. Regardless of how regularly you have your trees trimmed, make sure your arborist is qualified to perform the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be an issue if you call ND Tree Trimming in North Dakota!
Types of Tree Pruning Methods
There are 7 different ways to correctly trim a tree so that it grows healthier and stronger each year.
Depending on the shape, type and health problems of your trees, one pruning method could be more beneficial than another, but each technique has distinct benefits.
Crown Thinning Your Trees
Crown thinning is common for older, overgrown trees in North Dakota. This technique removes weak branches within the crown to improve sunlight and air flow throughout the crown. Air flow is important to help prevent disease.
This pruning technique also gets rid of branches that are touching so they do not rub up against each other and snap or create weakened areas that can be an entry point for pests. Branches that grow at strange angles are almost always removed during crown thinning.
Crown Raising Your Trees
This tree 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 remove, and they can pull nutrients away from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weak tree.
There are many reasons you might choose to raise the crown of a tree. Frequently, it is done to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can also be done to free up space for landscaping under the tree.
It is a very common technique for overgrown trees that are too close to homes and buildings.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction reduces the overall size of the tree’s crown from its outer edges. It shortens branches horizontally and vertically to keep the tree at a manageable size. By lowering the crown size, you can remove the need to cut the tree down because it will no longer interfere with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.
Even when the tree isn’t close to structures like these, crown reduction can help the tree look neater because it eliminates irregular growth. This is a great solution for trees that are different ages but are supposed to look consistent.
Crown Cleaning
Often referred to as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive type of trimming method that gets rid of dead, broken or diseased branches so that the rest of the tree may continue to grow normally. These branches can only create issues later.
Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look a lot better, and it stops branches from rubbing together. It is also a safety practice that reduces the chance of branches falling, since healthy branches rarely fall.
Crown Restoration
Crown restoration is a focused trimming process used on trees that were significantly damaged (either by pests or weather). It should only be done by an experienced arborist who knows how the tree is likely to grow over time and roughly how long it’s restoration is going to take.
Unlike other tree trimming services, crown restoration happens throughout a longer time period with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. Your arborist will have a definitive plan to restore the tree, but also be flexible as the tree starts to grow and reshape on its own, working with the tree’s new growth.
Vista Pruning
If you are hoping for trees that add to the beauty of your landscaping, you are probably interested in vista pruning. The purpose of vista pruning is to make the tree more aesthetically pleasing from a particular vantage point.
It entails several pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown reduction and crown cleaning – anything that makes the trees look prettier. Remember, though, that an arborist is not going to jeopardize the health of a tree, so the primary focus of vista pruning is still to maintain strong, healthy trees.
Espalier Pruning
Espaliered trees are pruned heavily to grow flat against walls or a trellis. It is a unique style of trimming that will draw a lot of attention to your yard. Espalier pruning must be started when the tree is very young and then continued very routinely during the tree’s life span.
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 North Dakota
Tree pruning can be dangerous for a tree, your landscaping, and, of course, for you! ND Tree Trimming highly encourages professional tree pruning over attempting DIY.
Aside from the possible dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of damage to a tree if you don’t prune it correctly. Excessive pruning is one of the most typical mistakes made by homeowners trimming their own trees.
Trees in North Dakota that get routine care from a professional are much better off, and hiring an experienced arborist from ND Tree Trimming to care for trees on your property is a decision you won’t regret. Locate your city in our service area. We work with arborists across the entire state of North Dakota!
