No matter the location or size of your property. The health of your plant material is paramount to the success of your landscape. The healthier the plant, the better the bloom, and the greater longevity of the material. This is not only true for smaller pieces of plant material like the annuals and perennials that provide a pop of color, but also for large plant materials like shrubs and trees. Just like your flowers they need maintenance and love to stay healthy. These trees and shrubs create structure and symmetry, as well as privacy to keep your activities on your property private. In order to keep them that way, one of the most important tree maintenance to be performed is pruning. This is the process of removing decayed material to leave room for healthy growth. It is used to both improve the health of the plant and to improve the aesthetic appeal of large plant materials to attract more attention. In this blog, we will discuss pruning, and when is the best time to prune your trees.
The process of pruning trees is primarily a way to curb the spread of damage, decay, and disease. There are numerous ways in which your plant material can take on some of these qualities, from fungus to weeds. When this happens, the best practice is to protect your plant by removing the associated foliage or limbs. This stimulates new growth to replace the decay, which gives you another chance for health. Think of pruning as cutting off the foundation of a potential problem before it begins.
Although we have talked about the improved health of the tree, let us specify what that means. When you remove decayed foliage, you prevent the chemical processes that spread decay. Additionally, you allow more sunlight to hit the healthy foliage of your tree, which adds needed nutrients for growth. Other benefits of pruning are rooted in safety, as damaged foliage is much more likely to come loose in comparison to its healthy counterparts. This can pose a safety risk for your visitors, as inclement weather could cause dead foliage to fall. Mitigating risk by pruning is your best bet. Also, pruning can keep your tree growing in the right direction, into your property rather than towards your home or business. This further prevents future safety issues, keeping your tree right where you want it.
Each variety of tree is going to have a different ideal time to prune. For deciduous trees, pruning should be done in early spring, from late February to early March. With no foliage, this will be the easiest time to see what needs to be removed. The exception to this is Oak trees, which need to be pruned in the winter. Fruit trees are better off in the late spring, and evergreen trees do not need to be pruned at any specific time, decayed material can be removed whenever. For a comprehensive consultation on your pruning needs, our arbor care team at OakLawn would be happy to help.
Your landscaping is the first thing noticed by your visitors, friends, and customers. Let OakLawn Landscaping ensure that your first impressions are top-notch and have your guests in awe before they even reach the door. Visit our website, or contact us today at (301) 854-0684 for any of your landscaping needs, commercial or residential.
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