The end of winter is the perfect time to get ready for the gardening year ahead – it is also the perfect time to prune trees.
Tree pruning is best left until the end of winter when the trees remain dormant ahead of the sap rising as they enter the growth period heralded by the start of spring.
Why prune trees?
Pruning can be essential to maintaining the health of trees and will also help to nurture and guide future growth. Here’s why cutting back makes sense:
Growth
Pruning will help trees continue to grow with good strength; it will also encourage denser growth. Additionally, where areas of a tree have become overgrown pruning will allow you to take control of this.
Damage
With the strong winds and harsh cold of this winter some of your garden trees could have suffered damage. Check all the trees for signs of damage – any that have broken branches will more than likely need to be cut back to allow for re-growth.
Decay/ Disease
Spotting signs of decay and disease in trees is important to managing the health of your garden. Pruning a diseased tree may help to stop the spread of the disease and prevent any dead branches becoming a home for pest insects.
Safety/ Light
This is also a great time to tackle branches that could annoy the neighbours by overhanging their property, or that could pose a threat to safety in the event they break off.
When to call in the experts?
Light pruning to maintain trees is part and parcel of everyday gardening and should be straightforward as long as it is done carefully and in the right conditions. When it comes to bigger trees, however, it is always wise to call in the experts.
A trained tree surgeon will be able to judge exactly what work needs to be carried out – and how this can be done in a safe manner, accounting for the weight of the branches and height of the tree. As larger trees are generally more mature, a tree surgeon will be aware of protecting the tree from any unnecessary damage.
If you need help pruning a tree contact Gardenbusters.
