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Pruning Shade Trees on Your Newington, VA Property

Here are a few tips on how to prune shade trees to prevent disease and give a pleasing shape that enhances your Vienna, VA, Warrenton, VA or Woodbridge, VA property. Some homeowners choose to hire a landscaping company like Lost Creek Landscapes to do it for them, but if you prefer to do it yourself, these tips will make pruning your shade trees a bit easier.

• When you see a shade tree on your Leesburg, VA property with many leaders, remove the weak ones. Think of a leader as a branch stemming from the trunk of the tree which may easily break-off during high winds or storms. When shade trees have two leaders, one will likely break-off and damage the tree.
• Removing branches that are lower to the ground will make your tree more easily accessible. When you can access the other branches, you are more likely to stay on-top of your pruning duties, which will keep your Springfield, VA shade trees healthier longer.
• When removing branches, use the collar cut approach. This means pruning the branch at a 45-degree angle rather than straight or flat. Collar cuts callus over quicker and will not lead to damage to the tree trunk.
• Also, cutting a branch at a 45-degree angle will result in a much stronger branch than one cut at a narrower angle.

For more information or advice on shade tree pruning, contact the landscaping experts at Lost Creek Landscapes today.