Arbortech - Your Local tree trimming experts

DO MY TREES NEED TO BE TRIMMED?

Tree trimming is the commonly performed procedure of removing unwanted limbs from a tree. Here are some signs that your trees may need to be trimmed

• There are limbs rubbing against your roof or utility lines
• Large limbs pose a hazard to people or structures under them
• You have to duck under limbs while walking around your yard
• Limbs scratch cars and delivery trucks that drive by your home
• Squirrels or other pests are using low hanging branches to access your home from their trees
• You can't see out of your windows due to tree limbs impeding your vision
• Your tree has taken on an unwanted shape
• Your toddler can climb up lower branches to reach dangerous heights 

WHEN AND WHAT TO CUT

Keep in mind that you should only remove 30% of a tree's canopy in a year; removing more than this could harm the tree. Also remember that trees handle a heavy trimming better if it is done while the tree is dormant; in St. Louis, this period lasts nearly 5 months, from late fall to early spring. 

DON'T HURT THE TREES YOU LOVE

While most tree trimming is relatively simple, more harm than good can be done to your tree if you:

• Take too much of the tree at one time
• Trim the tree during the wrong time of year
• Cut too deeply into the trunk when removing a limb
• Cut the top out of the tree
• Hire a tree service who lets their climbers use spikes unnecessarily when trimming your tree

Dead wooding is simply removing all the major dead from a tree. Dead wood in a tree is harmful as it:

• Is more prone to fall out of the tree and hit people or structures
• Creates a welcoming environment for funguses and bugs in your tree
• Promotes rot and decay
• Prohibits your tree from healing itself, and can cause hollowing
• Looks ugly and hides the beauty in your tree

Note that a small amount of deadwood is normal in any given tree. However, a large amount of deadwood can indicate other problems with your tree. In this case, your tree is probably dying and will need to be removed unless it can be treated.

Pruning is essential to maintaining the health of your trees. Generally speaking, pruning involves removing dying, dead, and diseased limbs. Next, any crossing or rubbing limbs should be looked and the weaker limb should be removed. If you desire to shorten the tree, our arborists can perform a crown reduction, a selective removing of the highest branches. Finally, any suckers at the base of the tree should be pruned away.. 

For flowering plants and fruit bearing trees, further guidelines should be addressed that are specific to the species.

When pruning or dead wooding trees, be careful not to remove all the inner foliage. The inner foliage perform photosynthesis during the hottest times of the day while the exterior leaves perform photosynthesis during the cooler times of the day. Many tree services will "clean out" a tree of its inner foliage, but this leaves a homeowner with a tree that is more susceptible to a hot dry summer.