Proper trimming and pruning of trees are the first steps towards ensuring its health, but also its beautiful appearance. Maintaining your garden in the right way will ensure you have a beautiful oasis of peace that you can enjoy every single day.
And for that purpose, it is necessary to trim and prune your trees correctly in order to keep them healthy and beautiful for a long time, and also in order to prevent injuries of your family members due to falling branches.
However, if you are a beginner and do not have the right skills, it will surely be useful for you to hear common mistakes people make when pruning and trimming trees. Because when you are aware of common mistakes you can do everything necessary to avoid them. Let’s start!
1. They prune their trees way too much
One of the main things you need to know about pruning and trimming trees is that more does not necessarily mean better here. And really, one of the most common mistakes people make is getting carried away with trimming their trees and then overdoing it.
The reason they do this is because they think a little extra pruning can’t hurt. But keep in mind that this cannot be further from the truth – the whole point of this process is to remove diseased and dead branches in order to freshen up the tree and make it easier to grow.
However, if you continue to cut live branches and other structures that are important to the tree, you can get to the point where there is no going back and make an irreparable damage. We suggest that you educate yourself in detail before you start trimming your trees and be aware of the extent to which it is acceptable to go.
2. They use tools that are not sharp enough
The next common mistake with pruning and trimming trees is to use tools that are not sharp enough. You’ve probably had the opportunity to hear the saying: preparation is half the battle.
Well, this is true in this case as well. Keep in mind that, although you may have knowledge and skills in this area, it will not be of much value to you if you use inadequate tools.
Dull tools can cause a big problem on your tree because it just won’t cut the branches properly. In addition, this can be very dangerous, as it increases the chance of injury. Take the time to prepare all the necessary tools and sharpen them before you go into action.
3. They prune large branches, too
The mistake you want to avoid is pruning large tree branches, for several different reasons. First of all, if you do it the wrong way, you can permanently damage the wood and make it unable to heal. You should never prune branches larger than 4 inches in diameter, as this can do more harm than good.
If you really have to cut a large branch, it is a better idea to cut it back to the trunk, because this is pretty much the only way to recover the tree afterwards.
Secondly, if this is your DIY project and you are not a professional in this field, other problems come to the fore. For example, pruning large branches on a tree can be very dangerous for you. And you probably don’t have the right tools for that.
In such situations, it is always a much better idea to contact professional tree pruning and trimming services, such as those you can read about at alexandriatrees.com.
Keep in mind that experts in this field have all the necessary skills and proper equipment, which means that they will do the job in the best and fastest way, and also that they will make the least clutter that you need to clean up afterwards. They will remove all the big branches, so you won’t have to figure out ways to put them away.
4. Not making good cuts
There are clear rules that you should follow during the trimming and pruning process to prevent damage to the wood and make the tree look very uneven and chaotic. If you continue to make bad cuts, this will affect both the aesthetics and health of your wood.
It is therefore important that you try to avoid the following cuts:
- stub cuts: this is a type of cut that no longer allows the tree to heal, so such parts usually die and permanently damage the whole tree, and also do not look at all nice
- heading cuts: if the cut is not made in the right place, it can increase the exposure of the tree to various diseases and pests
- flush cuts: such cuts lead to the removal of branch collar, which can also ultimately result in the inability of the tree to heal
5. Pruning and trimming in bad weather
Irregular tree maintenance is probably one of the biggest mistakes people make in this field, and the next is pruning and trimming in bad weather. This most often happens when people do not plan in time to maintain their trees, and then they notice that rain or storm is coming, so they want to do something about it.
Keep in mind that pruning and trimming trees in bad weather can be very dangerous for you, but also harmful to the trees. And also, that you will probably have to deal with the same thing again once the storm passes.
We suggest that you plan these tasks in time so that you do not fall into the temptation to do them in bad weather. And if you can’t stand it, then it’s a much better idea to hire professional services to take care of your trees for you.
Conclusion:
Some of the most common mistakes people make when trimming and pruning trees are that they prune their trees too much, do not make proper cuts, use tools that are not sharp enough, they prune large branches as well and prune and trim their trees in bad weather.
Once you know what the most common mistakes are, you can do whatever it takes to avoid making them and ensure that you maintain your trees in the best possible way.
