5 Signs Of A Good Tree Trimming Job

Your trees deserve an expert tree trimming contractor who will prune them to avoid disease, structural problems, and other potential downfalls. But how do you know if your tree trimming company is doing a good job? If you take a look at your trees after the next trimming appointment, you can assess their condition and the pruning technique used. Here are five signs of a good tree trimming job.

1. Branch collar and bark are intact

Sometimes a tree trimmer will have to remove a branch (for example, a dead branch or one that's making a nuisance of itself). Correct branch removal technique will include careful cuts that avoid the possibility of torn bark. In addition, a correctly done cut will remove the branch just barely past the branch collar (a callus-like ridge of bark right where the branch joins the trunk) without damaging the branch collar itself.

2. Tree branches and crown have natural looking shape

A tree should have a natural shape after a trim. A trimming job performed with improper technique may leave a branch unnaturally bare with only a tuft of green at the end. Other potentially harmful techniques (such as topping) may also make the tree look less naturally shaped. Instead, your tree should look well-balanced and have a natural-looking growth pattern after a trim.

3. Only a small part of the crown was removed

In a typical tree trimming situation, your tree shouldn't have a large portion of its crown (the branches and leaves of the tree) removed. In a standard yearly pruning, only a quarter of the crown (at maximum) should be removed. In many cases, even less should be removed.

4. All cuts are clean and straight across

A good professional tree trimmer will make pruning cuts with a sharp blade so the cuts will be clean, not jagged. If you see pruning cuts that splintered the remaining section of branches or cuts that come to a point rather than being flat or that look like they were made by hacking at the branch with a dull blade, that's something you should have fixed.

5. Suckers and water sprouts were removed

Suckers (vertical shoots emerging from the base of the tree) and water sprouts (similarly vertical, vigorous shoots coming from the branches) should be removed at any tree trimming appointment. These types of growth, which tree trimmers can easily identify, are considered weak and structurally unsound, so you shouldn't find them on a tree that's just been trimmed.

These signs can help you evaluate the trimming job performed. For more information, contact a tree trimming service.


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