Tree Care: An Introductory Guide
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Tree Care: An Introductory Guide

Palm trees are one of the most decorative and unique trees that you'll find in the warmer, more tropical climates. When properly cared for, these trees can be beautiful and full of foliage. However, knowing how to care for them isn't always easy. That's probably why you're here. If it is, then you're in the right place. This site is dedicated to the care and maintenance of all sorts of trees, including tropical varieties like palm trees. The information on this page can help you to understand which of the basic care steps you can do yourself and which steps are best done by a local tree service.

Tree Care: An Introductory Guide

How To Make Trimming A Healthy Experience For Your Tree

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Most people think of tree trimming as something that is done for aesthetic reasons. Trimming makes your tree look more even, or it helps it develop a specific and desirable shape. These aesthetic benefits of tree trimming are real. However, trimming is not purely aesthetic; it can also help keep your tree healthy and even improve its health. There are, however, some tips you need to follow if you want tree trimming to be a healthy experience for your tree.

Trim the tree before spring buds appear.

The best time to trim your tree is in the late winter or early spring. More specifically, you need to trim the tree before it starts producing new buds. If you trim the tree after buds appear, the tree will already have dedicated resources to producing those buds, and removing them will mean those resources have gone to waste. If you trim before budding, you'll allow the tree to conserve resources and dedicate those resources to producing fewer, but healthier buds on the remaining branches.

Remove whole branches.

When your goal is a healthy tree, you need to remove whole branches. Do not just snip the tips off of branches; this is where the branches grow from, so removing the ends will kill or harm those branches. Clip each branch about 1/2 to 1 inch from the spot where it meets the trunk or larger branch. Leaving a little nub behind actually helps reduce the amount of sap the tree loses, too, which is also better for the tree's health.

Sanitize your shears before trimming.

Did you know that trees can also get infections? Most infections in trees are caused by fungi, whereas infections in humans are usually bacterial, but the idea is the same — you don't want to introduce these pathogens to the wounds you create when trimming a tree. Sanitize your shears with either bleach or rubbing alcohol before you trim. Both of these substances are great at killing mold spores and bacteria.

Don't remove more than you have to.

Be judicious as you trim. Do not just remove a bunch of branches and call it "good enough." Only remove branches that you have a reason to remove. That reason can be that the branch is dead, diseased, dying, misshapen, or rubbing on another branch. Your goal should be to remove no more than one-third of a tree's branches. If you can remove significantly less than that, you're even better off. Trees need their branches and leaves to trap sunlight and make food, so removing too many branches can hamper this process.

Tree trimming can be a healthy experience for a tree; you just need to be wise about your trimming process.

To learn more, contact a tree trimming service in your area.


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