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

Pruning Your Landscaping Trees? Avoid These Common Mistakes!

Same Peterson

Taking care of your landscaping trees requires regular trimming. Tree trimming is partly science and partly an aesthetic art form. It's a science because proper pruning is vital for healthy tree growth. It's an aesthetic art form because a tree will not look good if you prune it incorrectly. Tree trimming mistakes can take many years to overcome, so it's better to avoid them in the first place!

To ensure your trees grow healthy and look great, you should always have them professionally pruned.

However, if you decide to make a go of it yourself, make sure you avoid these common tree-trimming mistakes:

Mistake: Not Having a Tree Trimming Goal or Plan

The worst thing you can do is start pruning a tree without a plan or end goal in mind. In fact, this is a sure way to end up with a bald tree on one side or that you must keep cutting to get back into balance. Some of the branches you quickly remove have taken years to grow. Accidentally cutting branches off isn't something you can quickly or easily remedy.

To avoid this common mistake, mark the branches you want to remove with white paint or chalk. Marking the branches you want to remove allows you to stand back and visualize the result before you take the saw to the tree and can't put the miscut branches back on. 

Mistake: Pruning Trees at the Wrong Time of the Year

Tree trimming during the wrong season for the species of your landscaping trees is a recipe for disaster. Trees generate the food they need to live via their leaves. If you drastically prune a tree in the spring when it is putting on leaves, it won't make enough food to sustain itself through the cold winter and might start to die.

All tree species should be pruned in the late fall or winter when they are dormant. The exception to this rule is elm trees. Elms need spring pruning to avoid elm bark beetle infestations that cause Dutch elm disease. 

Mistake: Snipping Ends Instead of Removing Entire Branches at the Collar

All tree branches should be pruned off at the branch collar along the trunk. You should never snip off the ends of branches. This tree-pruning tactic ultimately promotes more misgrowth and leaves sharp branches for you to walk into or bang your head on. 

If you find yourself snipping ends of branches because your tree is too big for the space where it was planted, the best thing you can do is remove the tree and plant another that is appropriately sized for the space. Repeatedly snipping branches is never going to solve the problem.

Reach out to a tree and lawn care company to learn more.


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