Many people ignore caring for their trees until something happens — perhaps a storm causes a big limb to fall and damage property or, worse, the entire tree dies, putting property and people at risk.
Instead of waiting until something damaging or catastrophic happens, it’s best for both aesthetics and safety to regularly maintain trees by pruning them.
If you have trees that have been neglected for a while, read on to discover five reasons our Johnson City arborists say you should schedule a professional tree pruning soon.
1. Dead limbs = risk
Dead, brittle or hanging branches are notorious for falling from trees during wind events or storms. Having too many branches on a tree can also lead to them brushing against or bumping into each other, which can cause branches to fall to the ground. Other safety concerns: branches obstructing the line of sight on a road and trees or heavy branches that are too close to a power line. These can cause serious damage during severe weather.
2. Promotes growth
It may seem counterintuitive, but pruning trees actually promotes new, healthy growth. Removing weak or unattractive branches means the tree will expend more energy on healthier parts of the plant, creating full, lush new growth.
3. Eradicate pests and disease
Pests and diseases like harmful fungi can quickly spread on and from trees, especially when they find an entry point in dying parts of limbs. Take powdery mildew, for instance: Even though it won’t likely kill an entire tree, it can spread, so pruning and destroying the affected portion of the tree is the best course of action. Arborists like ours in Kingsport are trained to diagnose diseases in trees, and they will know the best course of action to address the problem. Usually pruning a tree will stop disease or decay from spreading to other parts of the tree. Less density in the tree also gives the other, healthier branches more exposure to sunlight and air circulation, which aids in preventing disease.
4. Encourage fruit production
A tree needs to focus its energy on what is healthy and important. If you’re pruning fruit trees, removing dead or weak limbs will diminish the likelihood of disease and encourage fruit to grow.
5. Improve tree structure
Pruning leggy, out-of-control limbs will encourage trees to focus their energy on building a strong structure. This reduces the likelihood of damage to the tree during severe weather.
Arborists in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee
Regularly pruning trees is necessary for the trees’ overall health, but it can also be a dangerous and time-consuming job. If you have trees that could use trimming, give our ISA-certified arborists at Promier Tree in the Tri-cities area a call at (423) 872-2988, or contact us online today.