Tree pruning is probably the most common method of tree maintenance. If you have ever watched someone prune a tree or a bush, it probably just looks like he is chopping off limbs and branches without much of a method. However, to properly prune a tree, you must have extensive knowledge about that species of tree, the environment it prefers to grow in, and how that differs from the environment, it is currently growing in.

When trees grow in the forest, they are growing in their most ideal conditions. The soil, temperature, water, and light are all exactly the way that the trees like them to be. However, when trees are planted for landscape purposes in residential or commercial settings, the environment they are growing in is artificial – as far as the tree is concerned. Properly pruning a landscape tree means knowing how that tree is going to respond to every single cut that is being made to it.

Trees are living things, and tree pruning is akin to performing surgery on the tree. It is essential that the person doing the pruning be certified and knowledgeable in the art and science of proper tree care.

Common Tree Pruning Methods

There are a variety of pruning methods that a professional arborist is trained in. He will assess the needs of the tree and, decide which of the methods is most appropriate for the circumstances.

Thinning: When a tree is overgrown, and the leaves of the inner branches are not getting as much sunlight as they need – a tree pruning technique called thinning might be used. This process involves cutting specific branches to reduce the density of the tree and allow for a more evenly distributed weight.

While proper tree thinning can provide huge benefits to the health and wellness of the tree – improper tree thinning will cause serious damage that could dramatically reduce the life of the tree. It is important that tree pruning through thinning be done only by a certified arborist.

Cleaning: A second tree pruning method is called cleaning – this method is used when there are several dead branches or limbs that need to be removed. A dead branch can be very dangerous because once the branch is dead – it becomes very fragile and can fall from the tree onto your home or commercial building. If you notice excessive branches or limbs in your yard after a windstorm or you hear cracking coming from your tree – it is important that you call our office to have the tree inspected and assessed.

Reduction: If you have just purchased a wooded piece of land and plan to build a home or commercial building on it – you may need to have some of the trees removed or reduced to make room for the footprint of your building. Reduction is also necessary when the density of a tree has grown so wide that it is brushing up against a building. Having a tree scraping against your home or business can cause damage to the roof or gutter system – not to mention it makes a creepy sound during a storm!

The team of certified arborists at Quality Tree Service has the years of experience and training to professionally reduce any trees necessary to allow room for your home or business. As a family owned and operated company, Quality Tree is dedicated to making sure that trees and people exist together in a shared environment.

If you have trees on your land that need tree pruning – don’t hesitate to contact our office. We are available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week and can reduce or thin any trees that are creating unsafe conditions right away.