If you’ve ever marveled at the natural beauty of a mature tree, you may wonder why some trees look so stunning while others contain dead branches, yellow leaves, or other signs of disease. The primary reason for this is probably pruning.

So, why do you prune trees?

Pruning promotes healthy trees and prevents disease while keeping trees visually appealing and protecting structures. It involves trimming tree branches seasonally to help remove dead branches.

Consult with a local tree service in Folsom to see how your landscape can benefit from proper pruning.

5 Tips and Benefits of Tree Pruning

These five reasons will explain how pruning helps keep your trees healthy through every season. While some people prefer overgrown yards, most homeowners enjoy well-manicured trees that enhance their yard and home. When asked “why do you prune trees?” here are some answers you can give:

When is the best time for proper pruning?

Late winter is the best time to prune trees, and proper pruning will actually promote healthy growth. Remove dead branches to help encourage strong roots and the development of new branches.

A professional arborist or tree service company can inspect your trees and develop a plan for maintenance depending on the species and maturity of your trees. Thunderstorms, freezes, and other severe weather events can negatively impact entire trees and damage limbs or root systems.

Why pruning helps promote healthy trees

Removing dead or diseased branches allows the tree to concentrate on growing new, healthy branches and leaves. Pests and insects can also make nests in dead branches, which exposes homes and other structures to wood damaging insects (WDI) that can cause significant damage.

Extreme temperature fluctuations can damage trees, and a healthy tree is less prone to damage the root systems or healthy branches. Pruning also promotes more sunlight reaching lower branches.

Pruning prevents the spread of disease

Common tree diseases in California that proper pruning can prevent:

• Fire Blight: A disease that attacks fruit-bearing trees, is very destructive, and spreads rapidly during warmer months.
• Dutch Elm Disease: A fungal infection that causes wilting, yellow leaves, and dead branches.
• Leaf Spot Disease: This refers to multiple diseases and includes fungi, bacterial infection, disease caused by insect infestations, mold and mildew, and fertilizer burn.
• Sudden Oak Death: As the name implies, this is a very harmful disease characterized by red sap production and has killed millions of Oak Trees in California.

Keep your trees happy and healthy with a professional pruning to avoid exposure to harmful diseases.

Stimulates blooming and fruit budding

If your yard has fruit-bearing trees, you may already know why you prune trees. Proper pruning removes dead or rotten limbs allowing the tree to grow new stems, leaves, and fruit blooms.

Protects homes and other structures

Properly pruning trees can mitigate the risk of damage to homes, sheds, cars, and more. This can occur during a storm as a dead branch lands on a roof or if the storm exposes wooden structures to WDI. Pruning prevents these damages and is one of the best ways to protect your property.

So, while there is no one answer to the question, “why do you prune trees?” with a plan, inspections, and a professional team on your side, you can help keep your trees healthy even if they seem like they are beyond saving.

Ace Tree Service provides complete tree services in the Folsom, CA area. Call 916-934-3204 to learn more about their trimming and pruning services. Or reach out for a free estimate online from one of our knowledgeable, experienced service techs who will evaluate your trees and help design and implement a pruning schedule.