Winter Tree Trimming Can Help Promote Tree Health And Vitality

For many homeowners, the extent of any thoughts given to trees over the winter is often restricted to the holiday season. More precisely, this usually means limiting thoughts to trimming their indoor tree or to stringing coloured lights along the branches of their outdoor trees.

With respect to those outdoor trees, homeowner focus during the winter season should include more attention than just the time needed to string and subsequently remove any holiday lighting. For many tree species, the winter is actually an ideal time for trimming or pruning since it is their period of dormancy, in turn offering the following advantages or benefits:

• Better sightlines for thinning branches or shaping crowns
• Easier access to remove dead or diseased wood/limbs
• Less chance of disease/infestation in cold temperatures
• Redistribution of nutrients/reserves to remainder of the tree
• Trimming during dormant time is less stressful to the tree
• Trimming in winter allows trees to recover quicker in spring
• Opportunity to recognize/rectify potential for storm damage

As with tree trimming at other times of the year, pruning in the winter must be done with care and attention to detail in order to protect the health and vitality of the tree. It is also important to note that some tree species are more responsive to trimming during their dormant period, including but not limited to:

• Apple
• Crab apple
• Juniper
• Locust
• Mountain ash
• Oak
• Poplar
• Spruce

Returning to the subject of tree trimming or pruning throughout the winter, there are several important steps or processes that should be followed. Such practices consist of:

Dead or diseased wood

• Should be removed first to redirect nutrients to healthy portions
• Cuts should be made well below the affected or diseased areas

Overgrowth

• Prune branches that overhang the roof, walkways, or high-traffic areas
• Remember to pay attention to the overall shape of the tree as well

Overlapping branches

• Remove the thinner of the two branches first
• Cut at an angle where the branch meets the tree trunk
• Avoid leaving small stubs extended from trunk (can lead to rot/infestation)

Crowded branches

• Thinning improves air flow plus sunlight penetration to any undergrowth
• If trimming large branches, remove in sections (less weight than one cut)

Tree crowns

• Retain natural growth shape – avoid tendency to scalp/shave off treetops

As noted previously, winter tree trimming must be performed with care and attention to maintain tree health. If homeowners are unsure about proper pruning methods or have concerns about their personal safety when attempting such an activity during the winter season, they may elect to use professional tree care services, like the expertise provided by an arborist from DreamWorks Tree Services.

Winter Tree Pruning Is One Component Of Year-Round Care And Maintenance

Proper tree care is much more than just trimming and pruning a few branches on a single day or a weekend each spring. Depending on the species of tree, there are aspects to care and maintenance that should be performed at various times throughout the entire year, including the winter season when dormancy can be in effect.

DreamWorks Tree Services provides complete and year-round tree services to ensure the health and vitality of your trees, regardless of age, size/height, purpose, or species. These services include:

• Planting or removal
• Tree stump grinding
• Trimming and pruning
• Cabling and bracing
• Disease management
• Qualified arborists

If you have trees that could benefit from professional trimming or pruning over the winter months, call a qualified arborist at DreamWorks Tree Services today at either 647-924-2627 or 1-800-407-9917 or contact us to guarantee that proper techniques will be employed to preserve and promote tree health.