Tree Trimming & Pruning in Elk Grove

As humans, we enjoy taking care of ourselves ensuring the best for our general well-being. Oftentimes it involves cutting back on a few activities and routines so as to shape up our lives and become better each time. Just like humans, trees too need to be routinely maintained and taken care of. One of the very important maintenance carried out under Elk Grove tree services is tree trimming and pruning. It involves the physical cutting off of the tree parts that are old or injured and can be dangerous to the users, also the parts that are infected or overgrown.

Tree trimming is mostly season and plant-specific; some plant species require less frequent pruning like evergreens while other plants require frequent pruning like herbaceous plants after every season. The trimming procedure mostly apply to ornamental landscape trees.

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916-512-5805

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Why Tree Trimming, Pruning, & Shaping

This practice is done to help in;

• Improving the trees’ health and appearance also of the spaces they are grown in, successively adding value to your property.
• Creation of space for younger trees growing beside bigger trees.
• Providing safety by averting a tree’s growth profusion for trees especially the ones near utility lines.
• Preventing the spread of pests and diseases.
• Encouraging growth of new and healthy plant parts like stem, branches or leaves.

 Tree Pruning Tools

Trimming and pruning tools include;

• Hand pruners; branches three-quarters of an inch wide.
• Hand saws; branches more than an inch wide.
• Pole pruner; makes cuts on branches one and half inches wide and 6-12ft from the ground.
• Loppers and chainsaws; larger branches.
• Gloves and safety glasses. 

Tip: Tools should be clean, sharp and well-oiled before you start trimming.

How To Prune, Trim & Shape

Step 1: A general procedure that follows a simple ABC;

A – Assess; tree’s health, size, species and the location or setting it has grown in.
B – Bad branches; old, dead, damaged or diseased branches should be removed.
C – Competing branches; cut the lateral branches competing with the main center branch. 

​Step 2: Establish the leader stem and remove the competing branches by 50% or completely. Cut them close to the branch collar.
Step 3: Select the Lowest Permanent Branch (LPB) positioned about 6feet from the ground that will remain on the tree for its lifetime. It should be healthy, well attached (450 angle) and not more than half the size of the main trunk.
Step 4: Select scaffold branches which are slightly higher than he LPB and remove the branches that are less than 450 angle attached to the main trunk.
Step 5: Select temporary branches below the LPB whose foliage will be used for photosynthesis and provide energy for the tree’s growth.

Trimming tree crowns can be done in three ways depending on what purpose you would like to achieve with the tree. These include;

1. Crown reduction; to reduce the foliage density.
2. Crown raising; to create more space below the tree.
3. Crown thinning; to retain healthy scaffold branches.

Tip: Trim the branches when they are still young and when the tree is in its dormant season

We love the trees in Elk Grove and it's our mission to keep these oxygen pumping plants as healthy as can be. So when in doubt with any questions, call your Elk Grove Tree Service Pros!

GIVE US A CALL TODAY 916-512-8505