When it comes to the question, “What season is best for tree tree pruning?” The answer will likely be vague.
Tree type often dictates when many species can be trimmed, along with pest population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other types of plants and trees in the landscape.
With the help of a certified arborist in South Carolina, you can determine which time of year is ideal for trimming your trees to set them up for success next season and every year after that.
Best Season to Prune Trees
Without any other context, SC Tree Trimming recommends trimming trees in the winter. This ranges from November to March in South Carolina. This season is best because trees are mostly dormant, so pruning will lead to the least amount of damage, if any.
There are many benefits to pruning trees in the winter:
Lower risk of insect damage and disease – Insects and plant diseases are largely inactive in the winter in South Carolina. During the remainder of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm a freshly pruned tree because the tree is most susceptible and these issues thrive during warmer weather.
Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves stop your arborist from seeing the overall shape of the tree. When branches are bare, it is much easier to see diseased or dead limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just too close to each other.
Trees have time to heal before spring – By doing this significant pruning in the winter, your trees have several months to rebuild callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By the spring season, you’ll hardly be able to tell where the branches were trimmed, and the tree will be able to focus its energy to produce new leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.
Less chance of damaging surrounding landscaping – Most of the surrounding trees and plants will also be dormant during this time, so there is less risk of doing damage to them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the spring and summer, but there are no plants to be disturbed in the winter months since these annuals have already died out.
Do All Trees Need Trimming?
Yes, all trees will benefit from routine trimming. Tree trimming in the winter is good for trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your property and your family and neighbors. Let us explain:
Trimming Makes the Tree Stronger
Dying and diseased limbs are cut off, as are stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub against one another are also trimmed so that they don’t weaken each other or cause an open wound on the tree.
Trimming trees every winter is also a great way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and insect problems can be spotted and handled immediately.
A Well-Maintained Tree Serves Its Purpose Better
When a tree becomes overgrown, it starts to be hard for water and nutrients to reach every limb. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s intended to do.
Trimmed trees, on the other hand, produce more fruit, healthier leaves and better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping problems. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, routine trimming each winter will maximize the results you want from it.
Trees are More Beautiful After Trimming
If the view of your landscaping is important to you, tree pruning is a necessity! Trimming trees creates an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is especially important if you have several similar trees on your property.
Eliminating lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles enhances the overall beauty of the tree while also promoting tree health.
Less Risk of Dropping Branches
Tree pruning – from an arborist – encourages the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in South Carolina won’t affect your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around pruned trees.
Another safety issue for overgrown trees is that they can impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree trimming, crown raising and other professional tree care services will keep the tree at a manageable size and prevent it from blocking various views.
Call SC Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming
Hiring a professional arborist in South Carolina gives you access to their knowledge on tree trimming. We strongly recommend relying on their years of experience if you have trees on that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.
An arborist doesn’t only consider the immediate situation. Instead, an arborist will take time to inspect your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that could put them at risk). After gathering all the information, an arborist will make a long-term plan based on the trees’ unique needs and stick to that plan until your goals for your trees are achieved.
This plan might take many years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.
This kind of ongoing maintenance will aid in healthy tree growth, help your landscaping fight off plant diseases and improve flower or fruit production from trees. It will also strengthen your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or branches.
Being proactive about tree trimming can save you a lot of money over time too. Preventative maintenance is far more affordable than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing a sick tree of a disease that has gotten out of control (and one that was easily preventable).
If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your property, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from SC Tree Trimming. Find our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of South Carolina. Call today!
