TREE PRUNING SERVICES
If you're experiencing any of these problems, you tree will probably benefit from professional pruning and trimming.
WHY PRUNE TREES?
While most trees in nature do fine on their own, they don’t always look the way you’d like them to look in your yard. Proper pruning helps to keep trees properly shaped, healthy and free from potential safety hazards.
TYPES OF PRUNING
How a tree is pruned depends on a number of factors, such as the tree’s health, the type of tree, your goals, the size of the tree, and more.
Typically, pruning involves one of our arborists climbing into the tree to get up close and personal with the branches to be removed. That way they can see exactly what needs to be done and can make proper pruning cuts in the right places.
Here are the most common types of pruning we do -
Crown Cleaning
Crown cleaning involves the removal of all dead, dying, diseased, crowded, weakly attached, and low-vigor branches from the crown of the tree. This leaves a healthier and better-shaped tree.
Thinning
Thinning a tree means selectively pruning out branches to reduce the density of live branches in the tree canopy. This increases light penetration and air movement throughout the tree, opens the foliage of the tree, reduces the weight of heavy limbs, and helps retain the tree’s natural shape.
Thinning can also increase the tree’s safety during storms and strong winds because it allows air to flow between branches rather whipping leaves and branches around.
Raising
By removing the lower branches from a tree, the canopy is raised. It’s usually done to provide clearance for buildings, vehicles, pedestrians, and to open up vistas so you get a better view.
Reduction
Reduction pruning reduces the size of a tree, often for clearance for utility lines. This is NOT the same thing as topping a tree! Unlike topping, reduction helps maintain the form, health and structural integrity of the tree.
WHEN TO PRUNE YOUR TREES
Most routine pruning to remove weak, diseased, or dead limbs can be done in the Dayton area at any time during the year with little effect on the tree.
However, structural pruning and other types of pruning work are best done while the tree is dormant – meaning before it starts leafing out in spring. With fewer insects and pathogens present during winter, pruning wounds tend to heal better and more quickly. Plus, it’s easier to see where to make pruning cuts where there are no leaves in the way.
Learn more about the benefits of dormant pruning (winter pruning) here >>
There are, however, a couple of exceptions - ash, oak and hickory are generally easier to prune when leaves are present. It's difficult to differentiate between deadwood and live tissue when these trees are dormant so we generally recommend pruning after bud break.
To keep your trees looking their best, they should be pruned on a regular basis - about every seven years generally works well.
If you're considering doing some pruning yourself, check out our article on the 6 Worst DIY Pruning Mistakes before you get started!
What Our Customers Say
"Truly an expert crew did an excellent job pruning and raising the canopy of our two large locust and silver maple trees. They arrived on-time as scheduled, which lately, for us, hasn't been the case with other service providers. The guys left the yard totally cleaned up. Looks great!"
Tom Parrott
Pruning Locust & Silver Maple
"They thinned out the canopy and raised the skirt all with keeping the shape of the tree. They just did an awesome job! They will be coming back in the fall to continue work on the linden. We couldn't be more pleased! I will always call Arbor Experts for tree service!"
