Ornamental trees are usually planted to decorate your yard. As such, you want them to look beautiful and balanced. In order to maintain this appearance, your ornamental trees will need routine pruning. But how do you prune them in a way that benefits them and does not harm them? Take a look.
Have them pruned in late winter.
The best time of year to have most trees pruned is in the late winter. This way, you won't be removing any buds that the tree has put resources into developing. Trees also weep less sap in the late winter, and there are fewer bugs around to gather in any sap that does leak out. While you might get away with later-season pruning with a big shade tree, you really don't want to attempt it with an ornamental tree that needs to look its best. If your tree has already set buds, consider skipping pruning that year and getting to it next winter.
Thin out the branches.
If you prune the tree yourself, one of your primary goals should be to thin out the branches. You don't want a lot of dense branches overlapping one another. By thinning out the tree, you ensure more air can flow through it. This enhanced airflow allows the branches to dry out faster, which reduces the tree's risk of fungal disease. You don't want ornamental trees to get fungal diseases because their leaves got spotty and their twigs can develop cankers. Thinning out the branches goes a long way towards preventing this.
Don't take too much.
You don't want to remove more branches than are necessary to achieve your goals. Remember that trees do need plenty of leaves to capture sunlight, which they use to make food. An ornamental tree that you trim too heavily may yellow or experience stunted growth because it's not able to keep up with its own nutritional needs. A common rule of thumb is not to remove more than a third of the branches in one pruning session. If your tree needs massive reshaping, do it across several sessions, not all at once.
Ornamental trees do look best when they are pruned routinely. Follow the tips above to ensure your tree pruning efforts are effective and tree-friendly. Also, talk to a tree service in your area to learn more. It's surprisingly affordable to have trees professionally trimmed, so that might be your best bet.
For more information, contact a tree pruning service near you.
Share31 July 2023
After we moved into our house, we knew that something had to be done about our trees. The branches looked off-kilter, and we could tell that someone had pruned them incorrectly at one time or another. Unfortunately, we weren't really sure how to repair the damage. A family friend talked with us about hiring a professional tree trimmer, and so we called them the next day. The difference that they made was astounding. They removed dead branches, trimmed up the shape, and let more sunlight through. My blog is all about improving the look of your trees by hiring a professional.