What's the Best Month to Do Tree Trimming

Ensure your tree's health by trimming at the right time.

Trees play an important role not only in the environment but also in your property. Other than giving us fresher air to breathe, they boost your home value. Some trees provide you safety from pests and wild animals.

We are receiving so much from the trees that it’s only natural for us to return the favor and care for them as well. This includes giving them the nutrition they need through fertilizers if the earth can’t provide it. We also lend a hand in watering them through times when rain doesn’t happen often, during droughts, and more.

Another way we can take better care of our trees is by trimming them. Pruning in plants is essential because this is the process where you remove the dead or diseased part of the plant. This also applies to trees, which is called tree trimming, though it can be called pruning as well.

Your tree will get plenty of benefits through tree trimming, such as:

Boost Tree Health. By removing damaged or diseased branches, you help the tree by preventing the disease or damage from spreading. You also get to ease the tree from working on trying to save the damaged branch. Thanks to that, nutrients are sent to the healthy parts of the tree as they should be.

Improve Sunlight Exposure and Airflow. If trees are left to grow on their own, their leaves and branches might block more than what’s necessary. But if tree trimming is done, you’ll be able to free up some branches and leaves to give way to sunlight and airflow.

Beautify Your Trees. Trees can grow, grow, and grow. Most of the time, they will look unkempt and wild. If you want to improve the look of your trees, a good trimming is what they need. Not only will you free them from debilitating diseases, but you also get to enhance their natural beauty.

However, tree trimming is a little different from pruning your plants. Other than they are tall and you’ll need a ladder for the procedure, there are also some do’s and don'ts that you should remember.

It is also important to remember that trees are also living beings. Like people and animals, they also feel stress. And sometimes, tree trimming can be stressful to them, which can hinder their growth. Therefore, trimming your trees willy-nilly is a no-go, and making time for tree trimming is essential knowledge for tree care.

So, when is the best time to trim your trees, and why?

It is believed that it’s the season for tree trimming if and when your trees’ bright leaves are starting to fall. But that’s wrong. Doing so can cause more damage to your trees. Many arborists agree that the perfect time to trim your trees is during late winter or early spring.

Below is a compilation of the seasons and the reasons why it’s a good or bad time to trim your trees.

Winter

This is because, during winter, the trees are dormant. This means that the trees are inactive, making them resistant to stress while in this state. It’s best to work on your tree trimming as soon as the coldest part of winter has passed. Doing so will increase the chances of your tree achieving a growth spurt when spring arrives.

Spring

If you haven’t done your tree trimming during winter, you can still do it in early spring. Though, you have to do it before new leaves and buds develop.

Summer

Heavy tree trimming during the summer is a huge no-no, especially if the season is dry. There might not be enough water or nutrients in the soil for your tree in this season. If trimming is done, the tree will focus on the trimmed areas, slowing its overall growth in the process. However, what if you really want to tame the unruly look of your trees during this season? In that case, a light trimming for structure maintenance is fine.

Fall

This is the worst time to trim your trees. Light trimming where you remove leaves is okay, but you have to be careful. Fall is the time when fungus spread their spores around, making your tree susceptible to fungus growth. Tree trimming can leave your tree vulnerable to that, and ‘wounds’ caused by cuts from trimming heal slower in the fall. Therefore, ensure you avoid trimming them heavily during this time.

Tree trimming is a very beneficial tree care method. However, in the hands of those who don’t have the knowledge or skills, it can be dangerous for the tree. Even though light trimming is doable even for those who aren’t arborists, mistakes can still happen. Have the peace of mind and assurance that your tree will benefit from tree trimming by leaving it to professional arborists.

In need of an arborist to trim your trees? Our skilled arborists at Kanata Tree Service Masters will gladly offer their assistance! So, give us a ring and let’s talk.