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Pruning is a method of tree shaping that can be used to balance a design by controlling and directing growth into a desired shape. Pruning above a leaf node can steer plant growth in the direction of the natural placement of that leaf bud. Pruning may also be used to keep a design free of unwanted branches and to reduce canopy size. Deciduous trees are mainly pruned in winter, while they are dormant above-ground, although sometimes it is necessary to prune them during the growing season. Trees repeatedly subjected to hard pruning may experience stunted growth, and some trees may not survive this treatment.

• Proper trimming and pruning is essential for optimum tree health. Don’t leave it to chance, leave it to an expert.
• Both structural and maintenance pruning reasons should be considered when creating a tree care program.
• Our certified arborists can help your trees achieve the desired shape through controlled growth and pruning.

Training is a relatively new practice in which tree growth is directed into a desired shape and form. Training young trees is essential for proper tree development. It is better to direct tree growth with training than to correct it with pruning. The goal of tree training is to direct tree growth and minimize cutting. Fruit tree training helps produce good annual yields of high quality fruit. The practice develops a strong framework that increases the tree’s life and reduces loss from limb breakage.

Small cuts do less damage to the tree than large cuts. For that reason, proper training of young trees is critical. With our affordable prices and year-round availability, we’ll help ensure your trees live a long and healthy life!

Training young trees to grow into particular shapes or designs helps establish a strong foundation and ensure a healthy life span.

Thinning is the selective removal of live branches to reduce crown/canopy density. Thinning, of various types, is the most commonly-practiced method of pruning on mature trees. Thinning allows wind to pass through or into the pruned section of the crown/canopy, which can improve durability in a storm and allow greater sunlight penetration to the ground. Thinning opens the foliage of a tree, reduces weight on heavy limbs and helps retain the tree’s natural shape.

The entire canopy can be thinned or just a portion. Proper thinning will retain the canopy shape and will not remove many live branches from the interior portion of the canopy or from the lower and interior half of the main branches. Our certified professionals will specify the size range of parts to be removed, the location in the canopy and the percentage of live foliage that can be removed without compromising the health of the tree.

• Thinning does not influence the size of shape of the tree and must be performed with great consideration to ensure excessively sprouting does not result.
• Thinning is a delicate process that removes small diameter branches growing parallel and close to nearby branches and competing for the same space in the canopy. Appropriately thinned trees may not look like they were pruned.
• Thinning, or the selective removal of live branches from a tree’s canopy, allows greater visibility, more sunlight and less wind resistance.

Height, crown or canopy reduction, sometimes incorrectly referred to as topping, is suitable for trees that have outgrown their space in your landscape or for trees that have not been well cared for during their life span and have dead, diseased, crossing or torn branches. This reduction is height and/or spread of the crown may be used to relieve stress on individual branches or the whole tree, make the tree more suited to its environment or reduce the effects of shading and light loss. The result of a crown reduction should retain the main framework of the crown and leave a similar, but smaller, outline.

• Not all species are suitable for this type of pruning so it is imperative to have a professional you trust perform your tree work.
• Crown reductions should NOT be confused with ‘topping’ which is an indiscriminate and harmful method of pruning.
• Reducing the height or spread of the tree’s canopy relieves stress on the lower branches and improves tree health.

Crown lifting or raising is the removal of the lowest branches to increase light and enable access under the crown but should be practiced with great caution. Removal of large branches growing directly from the trunk can cause wounds that will lead to poor tree health, decay and instability. Crown lifting on older, mature trees should be avoided or limited to secondary branches or shortening of primary branches rather than complete removal. Only a certified professional should advise of the best method to care for your trees.

• Only a few branches should be removed at a time and they should not be too large in diameter.
• The live crown ration should be at least 60%, meaning there should be live branches along the upper sixty percent of the trunk.
• Our team can safely remove a tree’s lower branches to increase light and access below the crown.

Root collar excavation, sometimes referred to as root crown excavation, is necessary when we suspect rot or disease or girldling roots and the trunk flare is not visible. During a root crown excavation, we remove excess soil and debris to expose the flare. Significant defects in the trunk flare can result in whole tree failures.

The area between the trunk and root system is critical for proper tree health. Over time, excess soil and other materials can adhere to the base of the tree increasing the potential for decay, disease and bug infestations. This condition also decreases the amount of water, air and nutrients that can reach the roots which can lead to root girdling.

When handled by a professional, removing excess soil and exposing a tree’s roots can help uncover potential issues before it’s too late.