Written by Charles Wittson and published on https://www.finehomesandliving.com/
Although many of us take them for granted, we are all very lucky that trees exist. That’s because they produce much of the vital oxygen that’s in the air that we need for breathing. They also help keep soil firmly in place and make any landscape look better too. Another big misconception about trees is that they are maintenance-free. This is not true because they need to be fertilized sometimes and also watered in times of drought. Trees also need to be trimmed periodically.
Trees can offer a lot of benefits. From providing shade to enhancing the beauty of your yard, there are many reasons why you might want trees on your property. However, trees do require some maintenance—and that includes trimming. Exactly how often should trees be trimmed? If you’re curious about how long you can go between trimming your trees, keep reading for the answer.
How Often Should Trees be Trimmed?
Trees play a key role in keeping our planet safe, clean, and healthy. They give us oxygen, which is our lifeline and absorb toxic gases which are dangerous to our health. They have a pivotal role to play to keep our environment pure and fresh. Since trees do us so many good things, we should reciprocate and take care of them. Trimming of trees is an essential aspect of their wholesome maintenance regime. You can trim the trees yourself or tree service company do it for you.
But why is it important to trim trees? We answer this question below;
To maintain their shape:
According to the local tree experts trees can grow in all directions. In forests, such wild growth is ok but not in your back or front yard. It would help if you trimmed trees to give them an aesthetically pleasing look. A tree growing out in all directions is not a beautiful sight. It can also obstruct the view of your house if it is planted inside the home premises.
To help them grow:
There may be dead, weak, or diseased branches in a tree. Sometimes the branches cross-outs each other. All this affects the growth of the tree. Once it is thinned out, it will grow back at a rapid pace. Certain breeds of trees must be made to shed their weight so that they achieve the optimum level of their growth.
To protect yourself:
The trees need to be trimmed to prevent any dead or weak branch falling, especially during stormy weather. It can cause severe damage to life and limb. It can harm your property, too, like your car parked on the street or the windows or doors of your house.
How often a tree should be trimmed:
These are some of the main reasons why a tree should be trimmed. There can be other reasons too. Now let’s come to how often a tree should be trimmed. The answer to this question depends on a number of factors; some of those are;
Age:
Age is a crucial determinant of whether a tree should be trimmed or not. As a general rule, a tree that is just one year old should not be trimmed. Older than one year should get this treatment. A tree should be trimmed at least once in two years.
Season:
For some trees, fall is the best season to trim. While for others, it is winter. Generally, fall to winter is considered a safe period to trim trees. A tree should never be trimmed during its blooming time, which could be either spring or summer. They should be allowed to grow in it.
Type of tree:
Like the season, the particular kind of tree is also essential before you decide how often to trim it. Some trees grow at a fast pace, so there trimming should occur more frequently. If a tree grows slowly, naturally, its trimming would happen not that often. A fruit tree, for example, also needs to be trimmed regularly as it helps it produce more fruits.
Location of the tree:
If a tree is planted in a populated area like a house, a park, or any other place where people move, then its trimming should be carried out on a regular basis. This is because you do not want any accidents caused by the falling branches of that tree. It should always be kept in a trim state.
● The health of the tree:
How often you should trim your tree depends a great deal on the health of the tree as well. A weak, old and diseased tree should be trimmed more often and regularly. Whereas a robust and healthy tree can go without sometimes trimming for 2-3 years.
● Seek professional help:
There are educated professionals who can look at a tree and guide you on how often it needs to be pruned and trimmed. These are called arborists. They will inspect the trees and give you their professional input about the health of the tree, the frequency of it’s trimming, and how to do it.
The climate of the area:
The decision of how often to prune also depends on the environment of the area. For people living in hot regions with plenty of sunlight, the obvious choice would be dense green foliage. Here the trimming would not be preferred that often. Similarly, the places with a tropical environment, trimming, could happen more often.
Personal preference:
Your likes and dislikes can also play a fundamental role in determining when to trim the tree. Some prefer trees that are large and thick, while some would want them to be neatly trimmed.
Don’ts’s of tree trimming:
● Do not trim more than 35% of the green foliage in one go.
● Do not trim during the blooming period.
● Do not trim a tree too close to electricity poles and wires.
● Do not trim without proper equipment and safety gear.
● Do not trim trees that are difficult to climb or access.
Benefits of tree trimming:
● Tree trimming has a host of benefits for trees. Chief among those are;
● It helps the tree to grow.
● It keeps the tree in shape.
● It keeps the tree healthy.
● It cleans the dead, diseased, loses, and weak branches.
● It lets the air passes more quickly through the tree.
● It lets the sunlight reach throughout the tree.
● It helps grow more fruits.
● The tree evenly consumes the water and other nutrients.
● It reduces the risk of accidents caused by falling dead or loose branches.
● It extends the life of the tree.
Conclusion:
To sum up, we can say that it is requisite that the trees should be regularly trimmed. There are immense benefits to it. As to how often they need to be trimmed: well, that is subjective, and it depends on several factors which we have discussed above.
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