Tree trimming can help you maintain a healthy landscape, providing different benefits depending on which trees you trim. When homeowners start trimming trees in spring, they often don’t know which trees should wait until a later date for trimming. Learn the best way to care for your trees with the tree trimming experts in Santa Rosa, CA.
Why Trim Your Trees?
Trimming your trees provides many benefits to your yard and your home, with one of the most noticeable consisting of the need to create a safer environment. Broken branches, whether completely detached or partially hanging from the tree, can easily fall on either a structure or person on your property. Not only will it ensure the safety of your property, family, or visitors, but you won’t have to worry about liability issues if someone or their property sustains damage from a falling tree branch.
Trees You Should Trim in the Spring
Some of the trees safe to trim during the spring include:
1. Apple Trees
Trimming back apple trees in the spring gives the trees more time to heal from pruning cuts, while it’s also easier for the trimmers to see apple buds while the tree has no leaves.
2. Peach Trees
Peach trees grow shoots in the center of their trunk, and if left unchecked, insects or other pests can enter the tree and ruin the fruits.
3. Cherry Trees
When trimming trees in spring, clip down the branches of cherry trees to help limit their growth throughout the year and take up less space in your yard.
Trees You Shouldn’t Trim in the Spring
Besides following the arborists’ rule of thumb to only prune mature trees, some trees don’t have enough spring growth to merit tree trimming, such as:
1. Elm Trees
Trimming elm trees before the proper time exposes the interior of the trees to elm bark bees and can also make the tree vulnerable to Dutch elm disease. Property owners should instead trim elm trees around the end of winter, which gives the tree time to heal before the spring.
2. Oak Trees
Trimmed oak trees in the spring release fresh sap that can attract hungry insects that can then spread tree-killing diseases into your oak. Oak trees don’t require annual trimming, with arborists suggesting to only trim off old or dying branches during the first three years of an oak’s life. Older trees can take some limited trimming, but property owners should avoid cutting any foundational branches.
3. Sycamore Trees
Much like oaks, sycamore trees also bleed a heavy amount of sap if trimmed during the spring, attracting insects that could eventually lead to serious tree diseases. Tree experts suggest pruning in the fall to avoid the attention of springtime insects.
Trust the Tree Experts to Help You Trim Your Trees in Santa Rosa
If you’re trimming trees in spring, understanding which ones to let alone can help you maintain a healthy, happy landscape. Learn more about the benefits of tree trimming when you call Santa Rosa’s leading tree specialists at Empire Tree Experts at (707) 521-2151.