When it comes to the question, “Which season is best for tree tree pruning?” The answer can be indirect.
Tree type dictates when many species are able to be pruned, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees in the yard.
With the guidance of a professional arborist in Kansas, you can figure out which time of year is ideal for trimming your trees to prepare them for success next season and every year after that.
Best Season to Trim Trees
Without any other context, KS Tree Trimming recommends pruning trees in the winter. This would be sometime from November to March in most areas. This season is best because trees are typically dormant, so trimming will cause a minimal amount of harm, if any.
There are several benefits to pruning trees in the winter:
Lower risk of insect damage and disease – Pests and plant diseases are usually inactive in the winter in Kansas. During the rest of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm a freshly trimmed tree because the tree will be the most susceptible and these issues are more common in warmer weather.
Easier to determine the shape of the tree when the leaves are gone – Leaves get in the way of your arborist from seeing the complete shape of your tree. When branches are bare, it is a lot easier to see dead or diseased limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.
Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this major pruning during the winter, your trees will have many months to rebuild callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By the spring, you’ll barely be able to tell where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to use its energy to produce brand new leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.
Less chance of harming surrounding landscaping – Most of the surrounding trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is less risk of them. Most of the time, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the spring and summer, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter months since these annuals already died out.
Do All Trees Need Trimming?
Yes, all trees will benefit from annual trimming. Tree pruning in the winter is good for the trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Healthier
Dying and diseased branches are removed, as are stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Branches that can rub each other are also pruned so that they don’t weaken one another or create an open wound on the tree.
Pruning trees every winter is a great way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early signs of decay, disease and insect problems can be identified and dealt with right away.
A Cared-For Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree becomes overgrown, it’s hard for water and nutrients to get to every limb. This can leave the tree looking scraggly and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.
Trimmed trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to cause landscaping problems. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, pruning will maximize the results you want from it.
Trees are More Attractive After Pruning
If the curb appeal of your landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is a necessity! Pruning trees results in an attractive, uniform shape and size. This is especially important if you have a lot of similar trees on your property.
Removing lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles enhances the overall look of the tree while also promoting tree health.
Less Chance of Falling Branches
Tree trimming – done the right way – encourages the remaining branches to grow healthier and stronger. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in Kansas won’t damage your trees the same way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around pruned trees.
Another safety issue for overgrown trees is that they 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 manageable size and stop it from blocking various views.
Call KS Tree Trimming for Tree Pruning
Hiring a professional arborist in Kansas gives you access to their knowledge on the subject of tree pruning. We highly 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 doesn’t only consider the current situation. Instead, an 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 gathering all the information, an arborist will make a long-term plan based on your trees’ unique needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are met.
This plan might take 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 ongoing care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping fight off plant diseases and improve flower or fruit production from trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is not as much risk of falling trees or branches.
Being proactive about tree trimming can save you a lot of money over time as well. Preventative care is far more cost-effective than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing an ill tree of a disease that has spread out of control (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the beauty of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from KS Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Kansas. Call now!
