Tree pruning in Edmonton is accomplished for a number of reasons. Most pruning jobs are intended to improve safety and structure or to control tree size. Other reasons are to repair storm damage, open up vistas and give clearance for structures.
When pruning, one must observe the correct steps – eliminating dying, dead and diseased branches, rubbing branches, sucker growth from the rootstock, branches that have thorns and other unpleasant growth.
The optimum time to prune trees is during the dormant season, late fall or winter though dead branches must be taken out any time. Pruning trees during the dormant season will help to lessen sap loss and stress to the tree. It will also lessen the chances of fungal infection or infestation of insects since both are most likely to be dormant the same time with the tree.
Lastly, in cases of deciduous trees, pruning it while its leaves are off will provide you a good idea on how your pruning will impact the tree’s shape. Another benefit of pruning during the dormant season is it is much stress-free to make pruning assessments without leaves obscuring the structure of the branch.
Tree pruning at the right time can prevent specific diseases and physiological complications:
- To prevent oak wilt disease, make sure not to prune oaks during the months of April to October. Oaks that are wounded during these months must be applied with latex paint or wound dressing to cover the smell of freshly cut wood so the beetles that are responsible for oak wilt will not be attracted to the oak trees.
- Hawthorns, Mountain Ash, and Apple trees must be pruned during winter, that’s from February to early April. Pruning during spring or summer will increase the risk of infection and spread of Fire Blight, a bacterial disease. Autumn or early winter pruning is ideal for the pruning sites to dry and the bacteria to die.
- There are trees that “bleed” during late winter or early spring pruning. This bleeding is not that harmful, however, it’s still a source of concern. To avoid bleeding, prune these trees after its leaves are completely expanded during the late spring or early summer.
Pruning trees in your property offers an remarkable enhancement to the overall appearance and health of your trees as long as you follow the simple tips above. Pruning at the inappropriate time and taking shortcuts can result in more problems in the future.
If you are unsure of doing this on your own, call experts and arborists like Timber Trim Tree Works.