tree trimming mistakes

Mistakes Homeowners Make When Trimming Their Own Trees

Everyone wants to save money, and often times we find ourselves taking on DIY projects that are better left for the experts. Tree trimming is one of those projects homeowners regret trying to do on their own because they make a lot of big mistakes. Tree trimming is important to maintain the health of a tree in order to prevent problems associated with dead limbs. If you are not trimming your tree correctly, you may be doing more damage than good. 

Timing

Homeowners will typically wait until the last minute to prune their trees. They often wait for their tree to be visibly overgrown, and heavy. Due to its lack of curb appeal, they will finally pull out the shears and start snipping away. However, wrong timing can hurt your tree growth. In the summer, trimming can cause “sunscalding,” causing damage to the trunk bark of the tree. This can cause your tree to look even more unhealthy than it began, and result in long term effects. 

Sanitization

You wouldn’t brush your teeth with a dirty toothbrush, or clip your nails with rusty clippers would you? Trimming your tree with dirty shears is one of the most detrimental mistakes you can make on your tree! The hygiene of your equipment used for trimming can impact your tree’s health, causing bacterial growth or infectious fungi. Cutting your tree is causing wounds that need to easily heal to ensure continued growth. If your tree is left with large jagged edges, it will mean the healing process will take much longer. It is extremely important to use well-kept tools only. If you are unsure, call Front Range Arborists, and our team will take care of it in no time!

Over Trimming Your Trees

No more than 25% of tree branches should be removed at a single time. With each cut, the tree is being exposed to infection and infestation. If too much of the tree’s canopy is removed, the tree will not be able to transfer enough nutrients or support itself structurally. Striking the right balance is imperative to maintaining the health of your tree.

Undertrimming

It is best to trim the least amount possible to achieve the maintenance needed for your tree. By picking out overgrown branches, and letting the tree heal, you have a better chance at ensuring the tree has an opportunity to regain strength to heal itself. However, when you cut inadequately, you may not be removing enough weight or removing enough infestation to stop it from spreading.

Safety

The most important mistake that homeowners fail to consider is the importance of safety when maintaining trees. Tree trimming can be a very demanding task. Branches look much lighter and smaller before they end up on the ground, and falling branches can cause serious injury. Our team is insured and professionally trained to successfully manage any landscaping task. Give us a call today to take care of your pruning project!