Tree trimming experts of Pennsylvania share reasons you should not trim your own tree.
3 Common Sins of Tree Trimming
Don’t take offense at the title. You may be wondering, “What’s so wrong with cutting my own trees?” While there is nothing essentially wrong with a homeowner taking loppers or saw to their own tree, the result may be far from what the homeowner actually wants.
No one would want a surgeon that doesn’t have a clear understanding of human anatomy, so a tree should also be trimmed and pruned by someone who understands the anatomy and physiology of the tree.
Seasonal Mistakes
There is a time to reap and a time to sow, also there is a time to cut. Trimming at the wrong time of year can cause unwitting difficulties for a tree. The best time to trim a tree is in the winter when the tree is dormant. Summer is also a good time when the sun is bright and warm and nutrients are plentiful. Fall and spring are much more volatile seasons and cutting or trimming during these times can cause these results:
- Impeded growth
- Depleted ability to create nutrients
- Dehydration due to sap loss
Mistakes in Amount of Cutting
An amateur tree trimmer is liable to either not cut enough or too over-trim. An arborist takes into account the whole tree and its growth before trimming. They understand what the tree needs to thrive, but a homeowner may not. Overall tree health may suffer if incorrect cutting practices are used. Insufficient trimming can result in:
- Crowded growth
- Misshapen growth
- No benefit or positive result
The results of over trimming are more severe:
- Reduced growth
- Unilateral growth
- Impeded nutrient production
- Tree death
Improper Tool Care and Sanitation
To use the medical metaphor again, you wouldn’t want a doctor doing even a minor operation with tools that had already been used and had not been sanitized. This is a basic practice of good clinical hygiene.
This may seem like an exaggeration when it comes to trees, but just as an illness can be transferred from one person to another if a doctor is neglectful of his or her tools, so tree disease can travel from one tree or plant to another.
If you want a tree to continue to thrive, clean and sharpened tools need to be used. The following list shows the results of poor tool care and cleaning:
- Fungal Infection: If spores from a fungus are present on a tool, they can take root on a fresh cut and begin stealing nourishments from the tree.
- Jagged Cuts: Cuts that are uneven and tear off part of a branch can be more difficult for the tree to heal, leaving it vulnerable to pests and parasites.
- More Work: It is just more difficult to do the job of cutting, pruning, and trimming with tools that are not clean and well sharpened.
Not calling a tree service company may seem like a way to save money, but in the end, it may lead to more problems with your tree and may necessitate the need for tree removal. When you need a tree risk assessment or need to consult about tree health care, contact a professional; contact an arborist.
About Greater Pitt Tree Service
For more than a quarter-century, Greater Pitt Tree Service has been providing excellent tree care for both residential and commercial clients. We offer solutions that fit your budget Call us today for tree service in the greater Pittsburgh area.