Tree Pruning

Proper pruning extends the life of your trees, allows room for new growth, and protects your property. Maintaining a tree’s structure helps mitigate the risk of broken and falling branches, as well as deters pest infestation and the risk of decay. There are strategies for pruning your tree in each stage of its life.  

In young trees, it’s important to eliminate circling roots so new roots can grow away from the trunk. Developing and maintaining a dominant trunk establishes a strong structure. At this stage, we also remove or shorten aggressive branches, especially if they are growing vertically. This is also the stage where main branches are spaced along the trunk and touching branches are eliminated.  

For medium-aged trees, pruning is done to ensure that the strategies for young trees were met, and also to prevent stems on low branches from growing up into the permanent crown. Directing growth to fill gaps in the crown and reducing the length of overextended branches or those with bark inclusions is also done at this stage.

In mature trees, it’s recommended to remove dead and dying branches. Overextended limbs or those with bark inclusions and cracks are reduced in length. Reducing branches from the edge of the crown also helps to reduce wind load.