If you have trees on your property, eventually, they will need care. For example, let’s say you need to have your trees pruned in Kingsport. You can search online for “tree companies near me” and see all sorts of different options. When you’re seeking a tree pruning company, it’s natural to look for the best deal possible. However, as is the case with many other professional services, you get what you pay for. Making your decision based solely on cost could jeopardize the health of your trees. In this article, Promier Tree explains the potential long-term costs of working with a discount tree company.
Trust tree pruning to trained professionals
Have you ever been driving or walking and seen a misshapen tree? Maybe you see one that has a huge hole in its canopy or resembles a coat rack more than a living thing. All of these are visible examples of poor pruning practices. When you need a tree pruning service in Johnson City, trust an experienced professional tree company to do the job. Their experience is key. If you’re working with a pruning company that lacks proper training, the pruning can do more harm than good to your tree. Moreover, tree pruning never is something that a homeowner or other untrained individual should attempt, even if you are an experienced and accomplished do-it-yourselfer.
At Promier Tree, our staff includes professional arborists who are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. They have the knowledge, training, and experience working with all kinds of trees found in Kingsport, Johnson City, Bristol, and the surrounding areas in East Tennessee. They put all their expertise to use to provide proper care and training for your trees.
Learn about tree pruning mistakes
An experienced, trained tree pruner knows that each cut is a wound to the tree. A correct cut can be sealed off by the tree, serving as a protection against infestation by insects or disease. An incorrect cut can raise the risk of infestation, potentially creating a repeating pattern of damage that can hinder growth or even kill a tree.
At Promier Tree, we know some of the common mistakes made by untrained pruners.
These mistakes include:
Making a bad cut: Perhaps a cut leaves a stub. Maybe a cut removes the branch collar, which is the slightly enlarged area around the base of a branch. Or, a cut is made at a random point, which could harm the tree or lead to an infestation. All of these are examples of bad cuts and the type of cuts a trained and experienced pruner will not make.
Topping: Topping a tree is one of the worst things you can do for the health of a tree. This involves cutting the main trunk, or branch leader, below its apex to reduce the height of the tree. Topping leads to mass sprouting of weak branches at the branch ends and along the length. It looks unsightly and compromises the long-term health of the tree. Some professional tree companies will top trees. You never should hire a company that tops trees, except in drastic situations.
Pruning large branches: If a large branch—defined as one with a diameter of more than 3-4 inches—gets cut, the wound is too big for the tree to seal off on its own. Instead, a professional pruner knows to remove that large branch by cutting it all the way back to the trunk so that the branch collar can seal the wound.
Removing too much of the crown: Pruning a tree should be a slow, well-thought-out process. An experienced, knowledgeable pruner evaluates the entire tree before making a single cut, then makes minimal cuts to achieve the health and aesthetic goals. Generally speaking, no more than 5 to 20% of a tree crown should be removed during a single pruning session. Over-pruning can kill a tree, especially for older trees or trees already dealing with disease, a pest problem, or drought.
Bark injuries: Any kind of bark damage can devastate a tree. Untrained pruning can cause bark injuries if branches are dropped down through the crown of a tree or if cuts are made improperly. Bark injury also can be avoided by using the proper method when pruning: making smaller cuts rather than one big one, allowing for branch removal without doing excess damage.
Professional tree pruning in Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport
Pruning is a big job, and you want to have confidence and trust in the company you hire to do the job. A professional pruning company has the right equipment to complete the project, a trained crew that knows how to make proper cuts in the right locations, and removes debris, including large branches, from your property. You also only should choose a company that has damage and liability insurance. Promier Tree meets each of these qualifications. In addition to having a staff of arborists, we are fully licensed, bonded, and insured. Schedule an on-site evaluation and estimate with one of our tree experts by calling
(423) 765-2626.