How to Safely Trim Trees

There are various reasons why one might want to trim a tree. Maybe a tree on your property is starting to cause damage to your driveway, or perhaps you’d simply like to maintain it?

Regardless of your reason to trim trees, it’s a good idea to understand how to do it properly before you get started. This is because proper trimming can help preserve a tree’s health, while an incorrect methodology may cause negative effects to its growth, which a tree may not be able to recover from.

That said, here are some helpful tips on how you can safely trim trees.

Before starting to trim trees, you need to equip yourself with the right arborist gear first. Working with proper tools can not only help speed up and make the trimming process a success, but it can also help ensure your safety while doing the job.

To start, here are some basic tools to pick up if you’re doing any tree trimming activity soon.

• Gloves
• Safety Goggles
• Loppers
• Sharp tools such as shears or saw (Handheld or Chainsaw)
• Long-Sleeved Clothing

Of course, if you expect to do lots of tree trimming in the future, you may need more than just the basic tools listed here. That said, the tools listed here should be enough to get you started.

Part of the process of safely trimming a tree is ensuring that you do it in the ideal season. For instance, the best time to healthily prune and trim trees is in early winter or late fall, after leaves have already fallen. This is when you’ll be able to properly observe the structure and make cuts in optimal positions. Pruning while the tree is dormant in winter can help promote new growth as spring begins.

However, if you notice any diseased or dead limbs, prune these off asap. Leaving these for a prolonged period may risk further damage to the rest of the tree.

Every cut you make can have a significant effect on the tree’s health and growth. That said, it is always best to use sharp tools to ensure you’re making clean cuts. The last thing you want to do is cause a crack or split the tree when you start trimming.

Here are some common practices to safely and healthily prune and trim trees:

• Cut thin branches at about ¼ inch above the branch collar and never below or on the collar. The branch collar is the slightly bulbous section between a branch and a trunk.
• Cut thicker branches using the three-cut method. Cut halfway into the underside of the branch about 10 inches up from the branch collar. Then move up a few inches and cut into the top of the branch. Finally cut the branch off just above the collar, like with smaller branches.
• Keep your cut at an approximately 45-degree angle.
• Do a bit of research on trimming the specific kind of tree you’re working on. For instance, if you’re trimming a lemon tree, it may be beneficial to know how others have cut their lemon trees for best results.

In cases where trimming might put you in physical danger, such as needing to climb up high to get to branches, you should consider getting professional tree services.

There are many approaches to trim a tree. The four basic methods are:

Raising

To shorten or remove lower tree branches. The goal here is to make room for anything underneath the tree, such as traffic, buildings, etc. Raising should be done only as necessary, as removing too many of the lower branches at once may weaken a tree.

Reduction

Reduction is done to reduce the height or width of a tree. Usually done on older trees. An example of when reduction is needed would be if a tree starts growing into overhead electricity lines.

Thinning

This is the most commonly done pruning method. The goal is to limit the density of a tree and increase air circulation and sunlight exposure. Thinning is done to promote strong growth.

Cleaning

Removing dead, diseases, or broken branches and limbs. It should be done as soon as any of these are noticed. Cleaning a tree will improve the overall wellbeing and prevent further health complications. This also controls the risk of any branches unexpectedly falling onto someone or something that’s under the tree.

While trimming a tree can be beneficial both to the property owners and the tree’s health, it’d be good to note that improper trimming may do more harm than good. That said, referring to the list above for safe ways to trim trees can be a great start if you are planning to give the trees in your property some pruning and maintenance.

Published in: Outdoors | Author: Lynn