Tree Pruning
Back before us humans scared the Earth with our large developments around Sioux Falls and Willmar, trees grew in the forest happily and without the need of any intervention. If branches needed to come down, they just broke in storms or were killed by diseases, no need for the pruning or shaping of a chainsaw. But now that we are trying to fit our lives alongside these big trees, now more than ever we need proper pruning to ensure that we can coexist happily with the trees while keeping us and our property safe from harm.
The first step to properly trimming and pruning in Sioux Falls and Willmar is deciding on its final outcome. Starting with the end in mind ensures that you get the proper shape and take out the necessary limbs that need to be done. Some trees need more heavy and regular pruning if they are close to structures or roadways, while other trees living out in your yard, may only need infrequent trims and cuts to keep them as healthy as possible. After deciding upon the final outcome of your trip, we build a plan that includes the trimming but also future maintenance. If a tree is largely overgrown and messy, it may take a few different times of trimming to get it back into its shape and without removing too many branches at one time. Removing too many branches or too large of branches can impact the tree’s health drastically shortening its lifespan or introducing rot or disease infestation to the tree. A general rule of thumb is to not remove more than 30% of a tree’s canopy at one time, allowing the tree to heal and rebuild its energy store before another pruning, but even 30% can be a large amount out of a tree before it can heal properly.
We like to start with the low hanging fruit when we are pruning and trimming in Sioux Falls and Willmar. Dead, diseased, and dying branches are usually easy to identify and must come out regardless of the final product that we want. Tree branches die for a variety of reasons, and not all of them are bad. A tree will do what is called self pruning. When a tree self prunes, it decides that a branch is not producing enough energy intake for the energy output that it puts into growing leaves, so the tree cuts off nutrients to that specific branch, killing the branch and preventing it from growing in the future. This is totally normal on trees and is expected to be seen in the lower canopies. Dead branches in the upper top canopy start to make us worried. The top branches are the hardest for a tree to push its nutrients to, so showing signs of death in the upper canopy can often indicate problems with the tree’s health and overall well-being. Diseased branches are often products of wounds or pest marks that the tree gets on the outside layer of bark. Pruning in Sioux Falls and Willmar, these branches off before the disease has a chance to reach the tree helps keep the tree alive longer and keeps it healthier.
The next step of a proper pruning job in Sioux Falls is to remove any branches that are low hanging, branches that are crossing, or branches that are interfering with structures or powerlines. Crossing branches create weak spots in the branches that can fail in the future or rub the bark off introducing disease to the tree. Low branches are a no-brainer, making it hard to walk or mow under the tree and hitting people and causing all sorts of issues. Reaching towards or on top of power lines and structures need to be removed to prevent damage to the structures or cross arc a powerline. Depending on the powerline or the voltage in the powerline will depend on how far away the branches need to be cut.
We also like to perform an interior clean out of small sucker growth and interior branches. This opens up the canopy of the tree, letting the wind blow through the tree trunk, preventing fungal growth, and lessening the effects the wind has on the tree in general. This also cleans up the appearance of the tree, giving it a quality shape and structure instead of it looking like an overgrown bush.
We can also perform what is called a canopy reduction, removing outward growth from the tree to reduce its size into a more manageable piece for the place. It is in. Canopy reduction is different from topping, topping is no longer an approved practice and causes harm to the tree while a proper canopy reduction helps the tree maintain its shape while fitting into the size and restraints of your property.
The final step of pruning in Sioux Falls is removing limbs or branches for a different visual effect on the tree. It is important to remember the natural shape of the tree before removing these branches, trying to turn it into something the tree may not naturally grow like. The classic vase shape of the American Elm is beloved by many, but after they died, people still want the vase shape as it works well in their yards, but other trees like Hackberry and Ash do not grow well in this traditional shape. We always try to work with the customer to give them the product they need while also keeping the trees health in check. A healthy balance between us humans, and the trees that we coexist with must always be taken into consideration and thought of before a final pruning decision will be made on the branches.
We love talking about trees, so when you have questions about what the next best step for pruning and trimming in Sioux Falls is to reach out and give us a call! We can come out and give you a grand plan for your property, which would include various trimmings, planting new trees, or removing old and hazardous trees.often times with a little bit of knowledge, we are able to save you more money than you may originally have thought wow increasing the health and value of the trees on your property!