Did you know that the average temperature in cities can be up to ten degrees warmer than the area surrounding them? In our hot Texas summers, that figure is no joke—which is where your backyard trees come in.
Trees can help keep our homes cooler in the worst of the scorching heat, but that’s only true as long as we take steps to ensure their survival! It may sound counterintuitive, but cutting back branches with tree trimming and pruning can actually help our trees in the long term.
Of course, these two terms are often confused, especially because they refer to such similar practices. However, it’s worth noting that the main purposes of trimming and pruning are completely different, and there are also a few nuanced distinctions to keep in mind. Here’s what you should know about these common tree services.
What Is the Main Purpose of Tree Trimming and Pruning?
Before we get into a few in-depth differences, let’s clear the air on the main distinctions between tree trimming and pruning.
The purpose of tree trimming is to improve the overall appearance of a tree or shrub. Trimming may be necessary when you want to create an even and pleasing shape in your yard, or when you’re cutting a precise design into an ornamental tree. In addition, trimming can be helpful when you need to cut back overgrown branches that are too close to your windows, roof, power lines, or other essential structures.
The purpose of tree pruning, on the other hand, is to ensure the health of the tree itself. Instead of focusing on aesthetics, pruning can help promote stronger growth in the future, or it can remove dead, dying, or diseased branches that might affect the longevity of the tree. In addition, pruning can take care of branches whose placement might affect the tree’s health, such as by thinning out overgrown branches to ensure that the tree is getting enough sunlight.
What Kinds of Tools Are Necessary?
Trimming trees and shrubs is often easy, depending on their size. All you’ll need, in most cases, are simple tools like trimmers or loppers. These tools allow you to cut off smaller twigs and branches, though you may need a hand saw for larger trees.
When pruning trees, you can often use the same tools you’d use with tree trimming, especially if you’re only doing light pruning. However, pole pruners and chainsaws can also be helpful if you’re working on a larger tree.
How Often Do You Need to Trim or Prune Your Trees?
The frequency of tree trimming and pruning will vary based on the species and maturity of your tree. However, there are a few basic recommendations that you’ll need to follow in most cases.
We often recommend trimming your trees around twice a year, with one session occurring after the trees have blossomed in the spring.
When pruning, we recommend pruning once a year based on your tree’s flowering cycle. For most trees, the best time to prune is in late winter, after the risk of below-freezing temperatures has passed.
Who Should Trim or Prune Trees?
If you have the equipment for trimming or pruning at home, can you tackle the job on your own? The answer will depend on the type of job and the tree in question.
Trimming Trees
If you’re trimming for aesthetic purposes only, tree trimming is a fun task you can do on your own for smaller, more manageable trees. This practice is easy enough for most homeowners to try, provided you have the time, energy, and attention to detail! However, it’s worth noting that trimming too much of the tree—or trimming the wrong vital branches—can affect the overall health of the plant.
For larger trees, or for cases in which you’re trimming a wildly overgrown tree, this practice can be more of a hazard for non-specialists. You should always get expert help when trimming large or dangling branches, or branches too close to your home or power lines.
Pruning Trees
When it comes to pruning a tree, it’s often best to leave the job to an expert.
It’s true that pruning smaller trees is something homeowners may be able to do at home, especially gardeners who make a hobby of working with ornamental trees or fruit trees.
However, it’s a good idea to assess the need for a professional arborist before you pull out your pruning shears, especially for larger trees.
It can be difficult for homeowners to spot the natural growth patterns of their trees and to make the right choices for the long-term stability of the tree. In addition, it’s important to keep the risk to your health and property in mind. Falling tree limbs can cause injury if you aren’t careful, and the wrong cut might send a limb down onto your property or your neighbor’s property by accident!
Having a tree expert tackle this task on your behalf ensures that pruning will focus on the tree’s future health.
Let Our Team Take Care of Your Tree
Both tree trimming and pruning are crucial ways to take care of your tree, but it’s important to understand how each task works. Whether you’re trimming back twigs on a smaller tree or lopping off the branches of a mature one, each cut plays a significant role in the overall health of the plant.
To make sure that each cut is considered with expert care, reach out to our team of experts! We offer tree trimming and pruning services throughout the North Texas area, and we’re happy to take care of any trees on your property. Contact us for a quote today!
