Tree Trimming

Trimming your trees is needed to control the growth and help develop the shape you want. It can help promote growth in foliage. It should be done in the right place on the branch. Leaving to much of a stub can cause and entry point for disease and insects.

A stub can also cause a danger to you while you are walking by or even cutting the grass. It is important that you cut the branch where it meets the trunk with removing the collar (the swollen part where they meet).

Some tips on trimming a tree: Remove the weight off the branch by cutting off the branch two or three feet from the trunk by cutting a third of the way up from the bottom of the branch them cutting the rest of the way from the top. This will relieve the stress when you cut the branch at the trunk. So you will not tear the bark when it is cut.

Here are a few times of the year when a tree should or should not be trimmed.

Oak Tree

Should not be trimmed in the fall as it will make them more susceptible to fungi.

Maple Tree

Should be trimmed in mid-winter or late spring/summer when it is full of leaves. This will stop the tree from bleeding (drip from the trimming wound)

Always use sharp clippers and never tear the branches. If you are not trimming the branches at the trunk make the cuts at an adjoining growth node.