When it comes to the question, “What time of year is best for tree tree pruning?” The answer can be vague.
The type of tree will dictate when many species can be trimmed, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other species of plants and trees in the yard.
With the help of a professional arborist in Louisiana, you can figure out which season is ideal for trimming your trees to prepare them for success next season and beyond.
Best Season to Trim Trees
Without any other context, LA Tree Trimming recommends pruning trees during the winter. This ranges from November to March in most areas. This season is optimal because trees are mostly dormant, so pruning will lead to a minimal amount of damage, if any.
There are a lot of benefits to trimming trees in the winter:
Less chance of insect damage and disease – Insects and plant diseases are mostly inactive in the winter in Louisiana. Throughout the remainder of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm a newly pruned tree because the tree is most vulnerable and these issues are more common when there is warmer weather.
Easier to see the shape of the tree when the leaves are gone – Leaves prevent your arborist from seeing the complete shape of your tree. When the tree branches are bare, it is much easier to see dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just too close to each other.
Trees can heal before spring – By doing this significant tree trimming in the winter, your trees will have several months to rebuild callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll hardly be able to tell where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.
Less chance of damaging surrounding landscape – Most of the surrounding trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is a lower risk of damaging them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the spring and summer, but there are no plants to be disturbed during the winter since these annuals have already died out.
Do All Trees Need Pruning?
Yes, all trees will benefit from routine trimming. Tree pruning every winter is good for trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family. Let us explain:
Pruning Makes the Tree Stronger
Dead and diseased limbs are removed, as are stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against each other are also pruned so they don’t weaken one another or create an open wound on the tree.
Trimming trees every winter is a great way to get an expert’s opinion on your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and pest infestations can be identified and responded to immediately.
A Cared-For 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 scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.
Pruned trees, on the other hand, produce more fruit, healthier leaves and offer better shade. They are much fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping issues. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, pruning each winter will maximize 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 trimming is a necessity! Pruning trees creates an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is very important if you have many identical trees on your property.
Eliminating lower branches and upper branches that grow at awkward angles enhances the overall look of the tree while also strengthening tree health.
Less Risk of Falling Branches
Tree pruning – from an arborist – 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 safer living under and around pruned trees.
Another safety issue for overgrown trees is that they can impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree pruning, crown raising and other professional tree care services will keep the tree at a manageable size and stop it from blocking various views.
Call LA Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming
Working with a professional arborist in Louisiana gives you access to their knowledge on tree pruning. We strongly recommend relying on their years of experience if you have 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 time to research 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 of the information, an arborist will create a long-term plan based on the trees’ needs and stick to that plan until the goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan might require years to implement, but rest assured, it will lead to healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.
This type of ongoing care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping resist plant diseases and increase fruit or flower production from trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or limbs.
Being proactive about tree care will save you a lot of money as well. Preventative maintenance is much more cost-effective than paying for emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing an ill tree from a disease that has gotten out of hand (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the beauty of your landscaping, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from LA Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Louisiana. Call now!
