When it comes to the question, “Which season is best for tree trimming?” The answer is often indirect.
Tree type will determine when many species can be trimmed, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees in the landscape.
With the guidance of a certified arborist in Georgia, you can figure out which time of year is optimal for pruning your trees to set them up for success next season and every year after that.
Best Season to Prune Trees
Without any other information, GA Tree Trimming recommends tree trimming in the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in Georgia. Winter is ideal because the trees are mostly dormant, so pruning will lead to the least amount of damage, if any.
There are a lot of benefits to pruning trees during the winter:
Lower chance of insect damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are mostly inactive during the winter. During the remainder of the year, everything from insects to fungus can affect a freshly trimmed tree because the tree is most susceptible and these issues are more common when there is warmer weather.
Easier to determine the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves stop your arborist from seeing the overall shape of a tree. When the branches are bare, it is much easier to see diseased or dead branches and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.
Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this significant pruning in the winter, your trees have many months to rebuild callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll hardly be able to tell where the branches were cut off, and the tree will be able to focus its energy to produce new leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.
Less chance of damaging surrounding landscaping – Most of the nearby trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is less risk of doing damage to them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer months, but there are no plants to be disturbed during the winter since these annuals have already died out.
Do All Trees Need Pruning?
Yes, all trees will benefit from routine pruning. Tree pruning every winter is good for trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family and neighbors. Let us explain:
Pruning Makes the Tree Stronger
Dying and diseased branches are removed, as are branch stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Branches that can rub one another are also trimmed so that they don’t weaken each other or cause an open wound on the tree.
Pruning trees every year is also a great way to get expert eyes on your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and pest infestations can be identified and handled right away.
A Cared-For Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree is overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to reach every branch. This can leave the tree looking scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.
Pruned trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and offer better shade. They are much fuller and healthier and less likely to cause landscaping problems. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, routine trimming will maximize the results you want from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Pruning
If the curb appeal of your landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is important! Pruning trees creates an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is especially important if you have a lot of identical trees on your property.
Cutting off lower branches and upper branches that grow at awkward angles improves the overall beauty of the tree while also strengthening tree health.
Less Chance of Dropping Branches
Tree trimming – from a professional – encourages the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in Georgia won’t damage your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be safer living under and around pruned trees.
Another safety issue for large trees is that they impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree pruning, crown raising and other certified tree care services will keep the tree at a good size and prevent it from blocking various views.
Call GA Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming
Hiring a professional arborist in Georgia gives you access to their knowledge on tree trimming. We strongly recommend relying on their years of experience if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.
An arborist doesn’t only consider the immediate situation. Instead, he or she will take the time to inspect your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and factors that could put them at risk of disease or infestation). After collecting all of the information, an arborist will create a long-term plan based on the trees’ needs and stick to that plan until your goals for your trees are met.
This plan could require many years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.
This type of ongoing care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your entire property resist plant diseases and increase flower or fruit production from the trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or branches.
Being proactive about tree care can save you a lot of money over time too. Preventative maintenance is much more cost-effective than paying for emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing a sick tree from a disease that has spread out of hand (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your landscaping, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from GA Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Georgia. Call today!
