What is the Difference Between Trimming and Pruning Trees

Tree trimming refers to the removal of unnecessary tree branches from your trees so that they maintain their health. It can also benefit your tree and its growth by performing pruning operations at the right time. When the winter seasons approach, it’s the ideal time to conduct tree trimming.

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Why should you trim your trees?

Tree trimming helps trees to maintain their health and appearance, as well as maximize their canopy and promote healthy growth. Tree trimming also helps to promote a more balanced tree growth pattern, resulting in a tree that appears neater and healthier. Tree trimming in Boston is made easy with our range of high-quality tools and equipment. With the right tools, we can safely trim your trees to maintain their aesthetic appearance and structural integrity.

What Months Are Best For Tree Trimming

Generally, the best time to prune or trim trees and shrubs is during the winter months. From November through March, the weather is mild enough for trimming and tree pruning, and you don’t have to worry about the extreme heat of summer. This also means that you will have less problems with pests and diseases during the summer.

What is the difference between cutting a tree and trimming a tree?

Tree cutting is, in some cases, conducted for the health of the plant. Typically, trimming is done to improve the appearance of your landscape by removing overgrown branches and foliage or reducing the size of the crown or just reshaping it.

When Should You Not Trim Trees

You shouldn’t trim or cut trees, with the exception of diseased, dead or broken branches, during the tree’s growing season which is typically Spring and Summer.

Can You Trim Trees In The Summer

You shouldn’t trim trees during the spring and early summer. During those seasons, the trees are still growing. Trimming trees always results in the tree promoting new growth and doing that during the growing season of the tree puts a great deal of stress on it.

You shouldn’t trim a tree in the Autumn too, because that would be cutting it at a time when it is trying to store energy for the cold season ahead. Cutting it during the autumn will force the tree to produce new foliage, which in turn gets in the way of it storing energy and transitioning into the dormant stage in Winter. Pruning and trimming dormant trees during the winter is the best as that will promote more growth in the springtime.

Can I Trim A Tree Myself

Why can’t I trim my trees myself? Tree trimming is an activity that requires skill and experience. For the best results, there are many things that need to be done before trimming the trees. Some equipment, such as ladders, are required, along with pruning shears, clippers, and pruning hooks.

The height of the trees must also be considered. Additionally, tree trimming should only be performed by a professional tree trimmer. If you don’t know anything about the tree’s structure and biology, you may trim and cut it in a way that could compromise the tree’s health.

How Often Do Trees Need To Be Trimmed

The frequency of trimming will depend on the type and age of the trees you have. In general, you should trim mature trees no more than once every 3 to 5 years while young trees should be trimmed every 2 to 3 years.

This may be different if you have fruit trees. Our arborists will analyze your trees’ growth, structure, age, and health to help you decide how often you should trim them.

Unlike trees, shrubs require annual pruning.

How Do I Know If My Tree Needs Trimming

Well, the first thing to do is to observe your trees during different seasons of the year. Look for signs of damage or decay, such as leaves with yellow edges, dead branches, or leaves falling off the tree prematurely.

Signs You Need to Prune or Trim Trees

Here are 10 signs that you need to prune your trees:

Broken branches – having broken branches can pose a hazard to your tree’s safety and the health of your tree.
Misshapen trees – misshapen trees is another reason to trim trees. They can hamper airflow or block other trees in your yard.
Dead or diseased branches and limbs – if you notice diseased or dead limbs on your tree, prune them immediately.
Branches over power lines or roofs – If you notice that the branches are near power lines or over your roof, you should trim them because those branches pose a safety hazard for the lines or the roof, especially during high winds or storms.
Storm damage – trimming may be required if the tree was damaged by a storm. Using pruning shears, cut the branches and limbs that are damaged. Trim the rest of the tree to healthy, sturdy branches to maintain the tree’s structure.
Unwanted growth – Overgrowth of the tree is a sign that it requires pruning. Overgrown trees can pose a danger for your home and property as they blocking the sunlight and air circulation, and they can also attract insects, small animals, and wild animals to your property. Overgrown trees along walkways could fall and injure someone which is why you should remove unnecessary branches.
Weak branches – if you notice weak branches, you should prune them right away. Weak branches can fall and cause damage to your property and vehicle, and they can even cause the tree to wither and die.
Dense trees – Thick branches are extremely hazardous during stormy weather as they can fall and injure a person or animal, damage a house or building, or even become a projectile and cause damage further away from the tree.
Cracks in the bark – Cracks in the bark of the tree is typically a sign of pest infestation, but it can also be a sign of stress. Pruning those branches with cracks or blisters can help to resolve and prevent these problems.
Crossing branches – Similar to misshapen trees, those with crossing branches are also prone to disease, insect infestation, and decay.

Why Does Pruning Trees Make Them More Fruitful

Trees that are properly pruned tend to grow faster because they absorb less water and nutrients and are more resistant to pests and disease. This, in turn, helps the tree survive and flourish for a longer period of time and produce a larger, better quality harvest. You can think of it this way – you’re cutting away unneeded parts that drain resources and focusing those resources into the production of more, better fruit.

What Are Some Disadvantages Of Tree Pruning

Some disadvantages of trimming your trees are that trees that are pruned lose some of their leaves and branches, which means your trees may not look as full and vibrant as before.

A more serious disadvantage is that excess tree pruning can weaken trees and make them more susceptible to disease and insect infestation and thus shortening their life. If the cutting wounds do not heal properly, or the tree pruning is done badly, this can lead to fungi, bacteria and insects entering and infecting the tree.

What is the difference between tree pruning and trimming?

They both involve cutting and removing limbs and branches, but the main difference is the reason we do it. Here is the main difference between tree pruning and trimming:

Tree Pruning: Done to remove branches or branches that are dead, diseased or broken, and to prevent disease and maintain the health of the.
Trimming: Done to neaten up a tree’s appearance, shape, and size.

What Is A Reasonable Price For Tree Trimming

Tree trimming costs depend greatly on the type of tree species, its size, and when it is trimmed. To find out how much you should expect to pay, you should first check with a tree service company or certified arborist for an accurate quote.

Tree Trimming Cost Per Hour

You can expect to pay between $230 and $300 per hour for tree trimming for a three-man crew in the Boston area. How many people are needed will depend on the size of the tree and the amount of trimming that needs to be done.

In Conclusion

Trimming and pruning help trees maintain their healthy growth, produce better harvest, increase their appeal by removing extra branches or weak limbs. Large branches can get in the way of power lines, which can get you in trouble with the utility company. Crown thinning and crown reduction increase the aesthetics of your tree and property.

In addition, crown raising is also important, especially if the tree limbs are getting in the way of pedestrians for example.

Need tree pruning or trimming? Get in touch with us!

If you have any other questions about trimming trees or pruning or if you need to get your trees trimmed, you can request a free quote from our certified arborists by calling us or using our contact form. No matter if you require regular pruning or one-off removing of dead, unnecessary branches – no job is too small or big for us.

Our Tree Trimming Service Area

You can learn about all the locations we service in Massachusetts here.