When it comes to the question, “What season is best for tree tree pruning?” The answer can be vague.
The type of tree will dictate when many species are able to be pruned, along with pest population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees nearby.
With the help of a certified arborist in Maryland, you can figure out which season is the best for pruning your trees to prepare them for success next season and every year after that.
Best Season to Trim Trees
Without any other context, MD Tree Trimming recommends tree trimming in the winter. This ranges from November to March in Maryland. This season is best because trees are mostly dormant, so trimming will lead to the least amount of harm, if any.
There are several benefits to pruning trees in the winter:
Less risk of pest damage and disease – Insects and plant diseases are mostly inactive during the winter. Throughout the rest of the year, everything from insects to fungus can harm a newly pruned tree because the tree is most susceptible and these issues are more common in warmer weather.
Easier to determine the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the complete shape of a tree. When tree branches are bare, it is a lot easier to see diseased or dead limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just too close to each other.
Trees have time to heal before spring – By performing significant tree trimming during the winter, your trees will have many months to rebuild callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By spring season, you’ll hardly be able to tell where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to focus its energy to produce new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.
Less chance of harming nearby landscape – Most of the nearby trees and plants will also be dormant during this time, so there is a lower risk of damaging them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the warmer seasons, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter months since these annuals already died out.
Do All Trees Need Pruning?
Yes, all trees benefit from routine trimming. Tree trimming every winter is good for trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family and neighbors. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Healthier
Dead and diseased limbs are removed, as are branch stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Branches that can rub against one another are also trimmed so that they don’t weaken each other or cause an open wound on the tree.
Trimming trees every year is a great way to get expert eyes on your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and pest infestations can be identified and handled immediately.
A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree becomes overgrown, it starts to be hard for water and nutrients to reach every branch. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.
Trimmed trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping issues. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, pruning each winter will improve the results you desire from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Pruning
If the curb appeal of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree pruning is a necessity! Pruning trees creates an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is very important if you have many similar trees on your property.
Cutting off lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles improves the overall look of the tree while also strengthening tree health.
Less Risk of Dropping Branches
Tree pruning – done the right way – encourages the remaining branches to grow healthier and stronger. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t damage your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be safer living under and around trimmed trees.
Another safety issue for large trees is that they can impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree trimming, crown raising and other professional tree care services will keep the tree at a good size and stop it from blocking various views.
Call MD Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning
Working with a professional arborist in Maryland gives you access to their expert knowledge on tree trimming. We highly recommend relying on their years of experience if there are trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for awhile.
An arborist doesn’t only look at the immediate situation. Instead, he or she will take the time to inspect your trees and study their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that could put them at risk of disease or infestation). After collecting all the information, an arborist will create a long-term plan based on your trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan could take many years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for many years to come.
This kind of annual care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your entire property fight off plant diseases and increase fruit or flower production from your trees. It will also strengthen your trees so there is not as much risk of falling trees or branches.
Being proactive about tree trimming will save you a lot of money too. Preventative care is much more affordable than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage restoration or restoring an ill tree of a disease that has spread out of control (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the beauty of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree trimming and maintenance from MD Tree Trimming. Find our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Maryland. Call today!
