Making My Yard More Functional

Posted on: 19 August 2018

The trees on your property, just like every other plant, require regular maintenance in order to stay strong and healthy. A key part of maintaining your tree's health is to have them regularly pruned, which also reduces the risk of structural damage in the event of a storm or severe weather event. Understanding some of the signs that your trees are overdue for a pruning can help you determine when you need to get in touch with an arborist about cutting back some of the growth.

1. Dead Leaves

A key sign that your tree may be suffocating itself and thus adversely affecting its health is if you notice that there are sections of your tree's canopy that contain dead or browning leaves. If an entire branch is dead, not only does it place a burden on the tree that can affect the health of other limbs, it represents a falling hazard as dead branches will dry out and become more brittle. Trimming back these dead sections can allow for more air to flow through the rest of the branches and allows for continued healthy growth.

2. Cracks and Missing Bark

Another sign that a particular limb of your tree needs to be pruned is if you notice signs of structural damage to the limb itself, or where the branch meets the main trunk of the tree. Again, this represents a serious safety hazard in addition to indicating that a particular section of the tree needs to be trimmed back, but it can also be a sign of a disease that is undermining the structural integrity of your tree. Having an arborist inspect your tree and determine whether additional treatment options beyond pruning are necessary can help you maintain your tree's health.

3. Overhang

Finally, the last clear sign that your tree needs to have its branches trimmed is if you notice that individual limbs are overhanging areas of your roof, your driveway, or are getting close to power lines and other installations around your property. While this doesn't actually represent an issue with your tree's health, it does mean that they are likely to cause property damage, and in the case of power lines, may be at risk of lighting themselves on fire if they pull down the wires during a storm. Pruning branches that are at risk of coming into contact with other installations can help reduce the risk of such damage occurring, protecting both your tree and your property.

For more information, contact your local tree pruning service.