It’s the first week of summer — and that means one thing: It’s the perfect time to get your trees pruned. Here are 5 reasons why you should get your trees pruned now, instead of later:
1. SAVE YOUR SIDING.
Storm season is upon us (June 1 – Nov. 15), and there’s nothing better you can do for your home right now than to get your trees storm-ready so hazardous or dead limbs and branches don’t cause damage to your shingles, gutters and siding in the heavy winds.
The solution: Prune up and back any branches near your house or roof.
2. SAVE YOUR HOME.
Worse than the siding, gutter or shingle damage, if you’re not diligent, those trees could become part of your living room decor! You want to reduce the canopy thickness so it doesn’t catch the wind, causing resistance that could cause the tree to give out and fall. Thinning is a conventional method to minimize damage caused by storm winds.
The solution: Thin out canopies, especially of mature trees.
3. SAVE YOUR TREES.
Failing to prune your trees can result in unsightly — and unhealthy — growth of parasites (like mistletoe), vines and mosses that block photosynthesis capacity, which will eventually weaken the tree.
The solution: Remove dead, broken, diseased or rubbing branches, along with suckers.
4. SAVE YOUR BRADFORD PEARS.
Bradford pear trees are notorious for getting too “limby” with age and then splitting and coming apart in storm winds. This leaves and unsightly tree that is very difficult to bring back to an attractive tree.
The solution: Prune to clean out the core of those Bradford Pear trees!
5. SAVE YOUR VIEW.
In the beginning of summer, your trees have the full weight of their leaves, which helps to identify the limbs that may pose a threat — or that just might be dropping too low and blocking your beautiful view.
The solution: Prune to raise canopies for clearance from buildings, parking areas, sidewalks and for clearance for emergency vehicles. This will minimize damage and increase safety and, of course, visibility of those beautiful views.
