If you’re looking to maintain your trees and keep them in the best shape possible so that they’re safe, healthy and beautiful, having them trimmed every now and then is definitely worth considering. So is there an ideal time of year to have this done? It’s an excellent question and the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. It really depends on 3 important factors: the species of the tree, the current condition of the tree, and the intended purpose of trimming.
Tree Species
What kind of tree are you looking to trim? Does it stay green year round, or does it lose its leaves every year? Is it a tree that produces any edible nuts or fruit? Is it an ornamental tree? If it’s an ornamental tree, what about it makes it an ornamental? These are all important questions to ask yourself before performing any sort of trimming work. There are all kinds of trees that are all around us, and just because there may be a certain method of pruning during a certain time of the year that has shown to be beneficial for one type of tree, that doesn’t mean that the same will hold true for another type. In the same way that it’s important for a surgeon to know their patient before an operation, it’s important for us to know our trees before getting them trimmed.
The Tree’s Current Condition
The best time to trim your trees is also greatly affected by their current condition or health. Is there any abnormal discoloration of the tree’s foliage? Does the tree have any major wounds or areas of decay? Does there appear to be an abnormal amount of deadwood accumulating in the tree’s canopy? Has the tree struggled to put on much growth? These are all indications that a tree may be experiencing stress. There are several things that might cause tree stress. Some natural causes of tree stress include things such as disease infection, attack from insect pests, drought, flooding, storm damage, and extreme temperatures. There are also more unnatural causes of tree stress through things like construction projections, chemical applications, and even improper/excessive pruning. Trimming trees that are stressed will usually only put them under more stress, so if there’s any chance your tree may be stressed, it might be worth putting off trimming until the cause of the stress has been resolved and the tree has had time to recover.
What is the Purpose Behind Trimming?
What’s the reasoning behind why you’re wanting to trim your trees? Is safety a priority? Is it important to do what’s best for the health of your trees? Or are you really trying to give your trees the most aesthetic appeal? The purpose behind doing the trimming work not only greatly affects how the work is done, but it also greatly affects when it should be done as well. If safety is the only priority, then timing shouldn’t be much of a concern. If you want what’s best for your tree’s health, it’s generally best to trim in the fall or winter when the tree’s biological processes are the least active. On the other hand, if you want to give your trees the best look possible, it might be helpful to trim them when they have their leaves so you have the best chance at spotting canopy deadwood and other areas of decline or decay that may not be very noticeable when the trees have no leaves. As you can probably imagine, there are usually multiple purposes for doing trimming work which may mean having to sacrifice from what would be considered ideal for each individual purpose to address your highest priorities.
Although it’s generally best to trim most trees in the fall and winter, it’s prudent to take these three factors into consideration, especially if you’re really looking for what’s truly best for your trees. If you’ve given this some thought and you’re still unsure about when it would be best to get your trees trimmed, setting up a consultation with a certified arborist who will be able to assess your trees and give you an expert opinion is a good way to move forward.
If you are searching for Tree Trimming Services in Houston, TX or Dallas, TX Tree Trimming services, contact The Urban Foresters today! Our team of certified arborists can help you determine when is the best time of year to trim your trees, and can help you remove any limbs that may cause a potential threat to your home or family.