The Difference Between Trimming and Pruning

While people use the words interchangeably, there is a science to what we do.

• Tree Trimming: This is mostly about aesthetics and clearance. We trim back branches that are rubbing against your roof, hanging too low over your driveway, or blocking your view.
• Pruning Trees: This is about the health of the plant. We climb up into the canopy to find and remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches. By thinning out the thick parts of the canopy, we let the wind pass through the leaves instead of pushing against the tree like a sail, which keeps it from blowing over in a storm.

Caring for Your Fruit Trees

If you have fruit trees in your backyard, you know they require a special touch. Pruning fruit trees is completely different from pruning a giant oak. If you want a great harvest, you have to open up the center of the tree so sunlight and fresh air can reach the blossoms. We know exactly when and where to make these cuts during the dormant season, encouraging your trees to produce heavy, delicious fruit instead of just wasting energy on growing more leaves.

Doing It the Right Way

A lot of amateurs practice a terrible technique called "topping," where they just chop the top half of the tree completely off to make it shorter. This is incredibly bad for the tree. It creates huge wounds that rot, and the tree will frantically grow weak, ugly branches to survive. We practice proper, healthy pruning. We make clean cuts at the right angles so the tree can heal itself beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How often should I have my trees trimmed? For most big shade trees, having a professional tree care service look at them every 3 to 5 years is perfect. Fast-growing trees or fruit trees might need a little shaping every year or two to keep them looking their best.
• Is it okay to trim my trees in the summer? Usually, the best time for major structural pruning is late winter or early spring when the tree has no leaves. However, if you have a dead, broken, or dangerous branch hanging over your house, that needs to be removed immediately, regardless of what month it is.
• Will trimming my tree make it grow faster? It actually makes it grow better. When we remove the dead or weak branches, the tree stops wasting energy on them. It redirects all its water and nutrients to the healthy branches, which makes the whole tree look much more vibrant and lush.
• Do you use spikes on your boots to climb the trees? Absolutely not! We never use climbing spikes on a healthy tree you want to keep. The metal spikes stab into the bark and create hundreds of little wounds that invite bugs and disease. We use safe climbing ropes and harnesses to move around the canopy without hurting the tree.