You should prune a tree when branches are growing over a house, into power lines, or creating stress with neighbours. We prune trees in order to:
- Remove branches that are obstructing lights, signs or views.
- Encourage better growth.
- Achieve better weight distribution in a tree that lacks balance.
- Reduce the threat of damage to foundations.
- Prevent damage to vehicles from fallen foliage.
Standing at the base of the tree and looking up, you should see 20% sky. If you can’t, you need to consider thinning out your tree to help it grow healthy and strong. We thin trees in order to:
- Improve airflow, which makes a tree less likely to fail as a result of high winds.
- Reduce a tree’s consumption of water, which can make it more resilient in a drought or in hot summer months.
- Make a tree more structurally sound. Energy saved by not having to feed as many branches generates more girth in the trunk.
- Make a tree easier for birds to access. They eat insects that can be potentially harmful to the tree.
- Discourage rodents, such as raccoons and squirrels, from inhabiting your tree. These animals can harm your tree’s structural strength.
- Remove dead, dying diseased, crossing or broken branches.