Tree pruning in Rhode Island is an important landscaping service that can beautify and reinforce your trees so they can withstand pests, diseases and severe weather – and look good while doing it!
Pruning should be done if you want healthy trees, but it needs to be done properly by someone who knows what they’re doing. Like a certified arborist from RI Tree Trimming. You may be able to prune and trim trees safely while they are still small, but you also may be doing irreparable damage to the tree in the process.
To correctly prune trees, you need to know all of the following:
- When is the best time to prune your species of trees
- How much of the tree can be pruned at a time
- Where to cut each branch so you do not damage the tree
Removing too much off of a tree might kill it or lead to structural damage, but precise pruning done annually benefits trees in a lot of ways. Professional pruning improves the appearance of trees, makes them stronger, eliminates dying or diseased branches and assists in fruit or flower production.
Ideally, pruning needs to be done annually, but as trees mature, you might be able to go two years between major pruning services. Regardless of how routinely you have your trees trimmed, be sure your arborist is qualified to perform the type of tree pruning your trees need. This won’t be a problem if you call RI Tree Trimming in Rhode Island!
Types of Tree Pruning Methods
There are 7 ways to correctly prune a tree so that it grows healthier and stronger every year.
Depending on the shape, species and health concerns of your trees, one pruning method may be more effective than another, but each technique has various benefits to consider.
Crown Thinning Your Trees
Crown thinning is common for older, overgrown trees in Rhode Island. This technique removes weak branches within the crown to improve sunlight and air flow within the crown. Air flow is important for disease prevention.
This tree pruning technique also eliminates branches that are touching so they do not rub against one another and snap or cause weaker areas that can be an access point for insects and pests. Branches that grow at odd angles are almost always cut off during crown thinning.
Crown Raising Your Trees
This tree trimming method removes branches at the lower part of the crown so new limbs start higher up on the trunk. Allowing low branches to get too large makes them very difficult to cut off, and they can draw nutrients away from the top of the tree, which leads to less fruit and a weak tree.
There are many reasons you may want to raise the crown of a tree. Often, it is done to clear the line of sight for automobiles and pedestrians, but it can also be done to free up space for landscaping underneath the tree.
It is a very common technique for large trees that are close to homes and buildings.
Crown Reduction
Crown reduction lowers the total size of the crown from its outer edge. It shortens branches vertically and horizontally to keep the tree at a manageable size. By lowering the crown size, you can remove the need to chop the tree down because it will no longer interfere with traffic lights, power lines or street lights.
Even if the tree isn’t near structures like these, crown reduction can help the tree look much better because it eliminates irregular growth. This is a smart solution for trees that are different ages but are supposed to look uniform.
Crown Cleaning
Also known as deadwood pruning, crown cleaning is a minimally invasive tree pruning method that gets rid of dead, broken or diseased limbs so that the rest of the tree may continue to grow normally. These branches can only create problems in the future.
Crown cleaning helps to make the tree look a lot better, and it stops branches from rubbing together. Plus it is a safety practice that lowers the chance of falling branches, since healthy branches do not usually fall.
Crown Restoration
Crown restoration is an advanced trimming method for trees that have been severely damaged (either by weather or vandals). It must only be attempted by a professional who knows where the tree is likely to grow over time and how long it’s restoration is going to take.
Unlike most other tree trimming services, crown restoration happens during an extended period of time with conservative trimming that reshapes the tree. An arborist must have a plan to restore the tree, but also must be flexible as the tree starts to grow and reshape on its own, adapting to the tree’s new growth pattern.
Vista Pruning
If you are hoping for trees to help improve curb appeal, you are actually interested in vista pruning. The purpose of vista pruning is to make the tree more visually pleasing from a particular vantage point.
It consists of many pruning techniques including crown thinning, crown cleaning and crown reduction – anything that helps the trees look prettier. Remember, though, that an arborist will never jeopardize the health of a tree, so the focus of vista pruning is still to maintain strong, healthy trees.
Espalier Pruning
Espaliered trees are heavily pruned to grow flat up against a wall or a trellis. It is a different style of pruning that is sure to attract a lot of attention to your yard. Espalier pruning needs to begin when the tree is very young and then done routinely during the tree’s life span.
Benefits of espalier pruning include facilitating maximum sunlight to get to the trees, as well as making it much easier to harvest fruit.
Professional Tree Pruning in Rhode Island
Tree pruning can be dangerous for a tree, your lawn, and, of course, for you! RI Tree Trimming highly encourages professional tree pruning over DIY.
Besides the many dangers of tree trimming, you can do a lot of damage to a tree if you don’t trim it properly. Excessive pruning is one of the most typical errors made by homeowners maintaining their own trees.
Trees in Rhode Island that get annual care from a professional are much better off, and hiring an experienced arborist from RI Tree Trimming to care for the trees on your property is a decision you won’t regret. Locate your town in our service area. We work with arborists throughout the entire state of Rhode Island!
