When it comes to the question, “Which season is best for tree trimming?” The answer can be indirect.
Tree type will dictate when many species can be trimmed, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees in the landscape.
With the help of a professional arborist in New York, you will be able to decide which season is ideal for pruning your trees to set them up for success next season and beyond.
Best Season to Trim Trees
Without any other context, NY Tree Trimming recommends trimming trees during the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in New York. This season is ideal because the trees are mostly dormant, so pruning will cause a minimal amount of damage, if any.
There are many benefits to pruning trees during the winter:
Less risk of pest damage and disease – Insects and plant diseases are usually inactive during the winter in New York. During the remainder of the year, anything from insects to fungus can affect a newly trimmed tree because the tree will be the most susceptible and these issues are more common in warmer weather.
Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves get in the way of your arborist from seeing the complete shape of your tree. When tree branches are bare, it is a lot easier to see dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just too close to each other.
Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this major tree trimming during the winter, your trees have many months to build up callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By spring season, you’ll hardly be able to notice where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to use its energy to produce new leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.
Less chance of harming surrounding landscaping – Most of the nearby trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is a lower risk of them. Most of the time, 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 have already died out.
Do All Trees Need Trimming?
Yes, all trees will benefit from pruning. Tree trimming every winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family and neighbors. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Stronger
Dying and diseased branches are removed, as are stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub one another are also trimmed so they don’t weaken one another or cause an open wound on the tree.
Pruning trees every year is a good way to get expert eyes on the health of your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and insect problems can be identified and handled as soon as possible.
A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree becomes overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to reach every branch. This can leave the tree looking scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.
Pruned trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are much fuller and healthier and less likely to cause landscaping problems. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, routine trimming will improve the results you desire from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Pruning
If the view of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree pruning is a necessity! Trimming trees creates an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is especially important if you have several similar trees on your property.
Eliminating lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles improves the overall look of the tree while also promoting tree health.
Less Chance of Falling Branches
Tree pruning – done the right way – helps the remaining tree branches to grow healthier and stronger. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t affect your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around trimmed trees.
Another safety issue for overgrown trees is that they can impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree trimming, crown raising and other certified tree care services will keep the tree at a good size and prevent it from blocking various views.
Call NY Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming
Hiring a professional arborist in New York gives you access to their knowledge on tree trimming. We recommend relying on their years of experience if there are trees on that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.
An arborist won’t just look at the current situation. Instead, an experienced arborist will take the time to research your trees and study their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that could put them at risk). After gathering all the information, an arborist will suggest a long-term plan based on the trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan could require many years to implement, but rest assured, it will lead to healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.
This kind of annual care will promote healthy tree growth, help your landscaping resist plant diseases and enhance flower or fruit production from the trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or limbs.
Being proactive about tree pruning will save you a lot of money over time as well. Preventative care is far more affordable than paying for emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or restoring an ill tree of a disease that has gotten out of control (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from NY Tree Trimming. Find our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of New York. Call today!
