Tree pruning is an important part of keeping your yard looking immaculate. Considering the severity of the summer storms that tend to pass through Palm Harbor, Florida and the surrounding counties, it’s also critical to trim your trees to avoid safety concerns and property damage. Here’s what to keep in mind when practicing tree care and ridding your trees of their dead limbs.

Why Should You Prune Your Yard’s Trees?

While safety is the biggest reason for tree pruning, you should also trim your trees for:

• Aesthetics. When you prune your trees, they maintain their shape and appearance. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t impose an unnatural shape or size on your trees, though.
• Health. It’s possible to save a diseased tree by pruning it in a strategic way. You should trim branches that cross or rub together. Remember to also keep the crown thin to improve airflow.

When Should You Prune Your Yard’s Trees?

In Florida, the best time to prune your yard’s trees is in the springtime before the summer begins and the strong storms start rolling in. Of course, if you notice any damaged, diseased or dead branches throughout the year, you should remove them immediately. You should also avoid trimming your trees during extremely hot or cold weather.

How Should You Prune Your Yard’s Trees?

When pruning your trees, follow these techniques for the best results.

• Trim your trees during their dormant seasons, unless there’s an immediate hazard.
• Try to only remove branches that are fewer than five centimeters in diameter.
• Trim branches that have weak, v-shaped or narrow angles, retaining the strong ones.
• Remove lateral branches that are more than three-quarters of the stem’s diameter at the point of attachment.
• The ratio of the living crown to the tree’s height should be two-thirds.
• Prune branches when they’re young, as they’re easier to manage and leave fewer scars.
• Avoid trimming branches too long or too close, as this leaves a large stub or removes the branch’s collar.

For more information about tree care or to schedule us to trim yours before the stormy summer season starts, contact us at 727-478-2864. Click here to read about which trees might cause the most trouble during hurricane season.