Would you go throughout life without ever having a haircut? For most people, the answer to that question is no. You need an occasional trim to remove split ends and keep your hair looking healthy and styled. Your trees and shrubs are no different. Though they don’t have hair, they do have branches that need to be cut, or pruned, in order to encourage better, healthier growth.
Are you wondering, “Why should I prune my trees?” Pruning is essential to healthy growth. In fact, if you don’t prune, your tree can get diseased, stop growing, stop producing fruit, and potentially die.
Tree pruning cuts off dead branches and overgrowth to encourage trees and shrubs to grow stronger and in a more attractive shape. When you have your trees pruned, they become healthier and they look better too. Senske employs ISA certified arborists who understand how to encourage healthy growth, including pruning and trimming.
Pruning Vs. Trimming Trees & Shrubs – What’s the Difference?
What is pruning, and how does it differ from trimming? These are not the same actions. Pruning takes away dead and diseased branches to encourage a healthier tree or shrub. Trimming perfects the growth of the shrub or tree, allowing enough moisture and light through the foliage to the ground below and shaping the look of the branches. Both are an important part of protecting your trees and shrubs, and our tree service will tackle them both when you call us for tree care.
What Happens After I Prune?
After you prune and trim your trees and shrubs, they will enter their normal growing season. Because they have no more dead and diseased branches, they will grow more effectively. Pruning and trimming also remove excessive branches and take away thick growth, allowing more air and sunlight to reach the ground. This helps encourage better photosynthesis. You may notice improved foliage as a result.
If your tree or shrub produces fruit, you’re going to get a better crop after pruning. Why? Because pruning takes away unnecessary branches, and this frees more of the plant’s energy to go towards its fruit.
Finally, with proper pruning and trimming, you’ll notice your trees take on a better shape. If you have decorative shrubs, hiring a tree trimming service is essential to ensuring they grow in an eye-catching manner.
When to Prune Common Trees & Shrubs
Spring is the best time to prune your trees, as it sets the foundation for robust growth through the growing season. It’s best to schedule pruning after the leaves have fallen but before the spring flowers bloom, which means now is the right time to schedule trimming and pruning services for most tree types. However, each type of tree and shrub has its own growth cycle, so check this list to see some common ones and the recommended times for trimming or pruning:
- Apple and cherry trees – Early spring
- Clematis – Spring
- Flowering dogwood – In the spring after flowering
- Lilac – In the spring after flowering
- Peach and plum trees – Early spring
- Rhododendron – After flowering
- Non-climbing roses – After the last frost of spring
- Trumpet vine – Early spring
- Wisteria – Spring and summer
If you have another type of tree or shrub, contact the Senske tree trimming service for the best advice about proper shrub and tree care.
Schedule Tree Pruning Service Today
If you are in need of tree service this spring, Senske is here to serve. We provide the help of professional arborists who are certified by the ISA. They can nurture your trees to bring out their fullest potential, or even spot threats to their health before serious damage is done. Get expert tree care tips and trimming or pruning services from our expert team. Sign up for tree and shrub care services today.
