Trees are a beautiful part of the landscape. We see them in the wild, in parks, in our gardens and yards, and we take walks through shady woodlands and enjoy trees and the glorious colors and tones they bring to our country.
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Trees come in many different shapes and sizes, with thousands of species across the world, and if you have them in your yard or on your land, you will appreciate them for the wonderful plants they are.
However, they do need maintenance. When trees are young and maturing, they often need to be trimmed into shape.
When they are mature, large and a permanent feature, they may also need pruning to keep their height down, or to keep branches from overhanging or falling.
So, what is the procedure for trimming or pruning a tree? Should you do it yourself? Before we answer those questions, let’s have a closer look at why your trees may need attention.
Why would a tree need trimming?
We should begin by saying that tree trimming is a skill. It’s an art learned by arborists the world over who spend their working lives lovingly tending trees in many different areas.
Forests are abundant on the planet, woodlands too, but it’s the trees in the garden that we are largely interested in here.
So, why would a tree need trimming?
With younger trees there is a tendency for them to grow in an uneven fashion. This means that an arborist will be able to trim the shrub into shape. In fact, with smaller trees you could do this yourself – we’ll talk about that in the next section – but for mature and tall trees, we would strongly recommend you engage a professional.
Using bucket trucks and other advanced machines when trimming mature and tall trees, that is why calling Nashville tree professionals to trim trees eliminate all the risks surrounding complicated tree care services.
Let’s list some of the reasons a tree may need trimming, and why each should be attended to a quickly as possible:
- Young trees may grow unevenly and look unsightly as a result. Trimming can help growth become more uniform and the tree look more attractive.
- Mature and growing trees may result in branches overhanging a neighbour’s property or a footpath. The tree is your responsibility, so you need to make sure such branches are taken care of for safety’s sake.
- Trees can become damaged in storms, leaving branches torn and hanging loose. This is a potentially dangerous situation and needs the work of a professional.
- Trees may simply become too large and block a view or light from windows, at which point an arborist may reshape the tree and the crown off it.
These are some of the reasons that a tree may need trimming and there can be many more. The main problems you are likely to encounter are trees getting larger and too old, and those with overhanging or storm damaged branches.
In these cases, we strongly recommend you engage a professional, but let’s look at some of the jobs you can do, and what you need to do them successfully.
What equipment do I need when trimming a tree?
First, while these are jobs you can do yourself, we again stress that a qualified and experienced arborist is a better choice if you want a professional and impressive finish.
When we are talking trimming trees, we are talking about those of a sensible height. Some species can grow to great heights, and the dangers involved in getting high up – perhaps to reach falling branches – can be considerable unless you know what you are doing.
One piece of advice is that you should never attempt tree maintenance that involves you being off the ground – on a ladder or with a harness – while alone. If there is an accident and you become injured, you need someone to be present to help.
Also, in some cases trees are protected by law so you need to check if the species on your land that you are dealing with comes into this category. If it does, you may need to seek permission to change the appearance of the tree in any way.
So, what can you do yourself, and what garden equipment do you need?
- Trim back low hanging branches using a hand saw, quality pruning shears or loppers. This can be done when you are standing on the ground and are stable afoot.
- Cut away damaged branches that are reachable without the need for a ladder using a chainsaw. Be aware of the dangers involved in using such a power tool and take care to follow the manufacturers instructions. Do not use a chainsaw from a ladder.
- Remove low level damaged branches that may be in danger of falling, with a hand or chainsaw.
- Cut back branches that are overhanging a neighbour’s land or a footpath. This is best done with a chainsaw but only if you can remain on ground.
In addition to the above trimming trees jobs there are others including shaping young trees that can be DIY jobs. We remind you that caution needs to be paramount at all times as trees can be large, and the tools involved dangerous if misused.
Why you should use a professional tree trimmer?
If you’ve read up to now, you’ll have concluded that for anything other than basic tree maintenance professional help is a must. A tree surgeon or arborist will be able to provide you with expert opinions and recommendations as to what the best solution to your tree maintenance requirements might be.
An arborist will also have the right equipment to do the job including harnesses for safety and the correct types of saw, and will have trained for all eventualities during his or her time in learning the job.
If you need regular tree care services you will be able to find an arborist who can visit often to keep your trees in trim, which is a preventative measure that makes for a cost-effective option.
To protect your trees and keep them in good order get in touch with your local tree solutions provider, and see how they can help you enjoy your trees for longer.