A Fall Tree Pruning Guide

Guide For Fall Tree Pruning And Trimming

Tree pruning helps prepare your plants for the cold winter months while protecting them from wind and snow damage. It is the ideal season because the leaves are gone and you can see what you are doing. Here are some guidelines to help you out.

5 Important Tree Pruning Tips

1. Corrective Pruning

This type allows you to correct the way your plant is growing. It may involve:

• Trimming branches that interfere with other branches
• Those that rub against the house
• Branches that overhang an access area e.g. walkway or the roof

2. Cleaning Up

It is a good way to remove dead, broken or diseased and insect infested branches. This can reduce the need to apply pesticides, plus, it also increases light penetration resulting in a healthier plant.

3. Thinning

Fall is also a good time to prune large, overgrown shrubs. It is preferable, however, to thin rather than shear them at the top. Thinning allows you to reduce size without impacting the overall shape. This is especially important for flowering shrubs as you can remove some stalks or branches without significantly reducing the spring bloom. Shearing can reduce, if not destroy, next year’s bloom. If you are looking to reduce height and take proper shrub care, cut some major canes completely but leave the remainder of the plant alone.

4. Structural Tree Pruning

Tree trimming can make your plants stronger and more resistant to storm damage. Typically branches that form narrow “V” crotches are weaker than those with wide-angle crotches. Remove them wherever possible but do not cut flush with the trunk. If you think this is going to impact the tree shape, ask for professional help.

5. Pruning Flowering Shrubs

You may also cut back the tops of your perennials and summer-flowering shrubs and roses in the fall. Be careful not to prune rose plants too severely. Simply remove dead flowers and the upper one-third of the cane. This will prevent them from breaking under the weight of a heavy snow.

Fall tree pruning encourages fresh, new growth. Our tree pruning specialists can enhance the health and growth of your plants.

No time to prune? Call DreamWorks Trees today at 647-924-2627 for all your tree pruning needs or get a free property assessment request here.