Pruning is necessary to maintain or improve the health, appearance and safety of your trees. Tree pruning in Colorado is very important due to rapidly changing environmental conditions. High winds, snow loads (especially when trees are in leaf or flower) and drastic temperature swings can all lead to stress and failure in trees that aren’t properly pruned. Meanwhile, trees on a regular pruning rotation have superior structure and health.
Pruning trees early in development has a profound effect on their structure and long term success. Trees grow following their genetic code. Poor pruning, storm damage, insects/diseases or environmental conditions can cause early branch removal that disrupts this genetic code and leads to altered–and most often flawed–habits. A good arborist can spot this and prune the tree to recapture its original form. This minimal investment early in a tree’s development leads to huge benefits down the road.
Larger and mature trees also benefit from pruning. Structural defects can be assessed and remedied. Dead material is removed. Conflicting branches are pruned to allow for proper air flow and light penetration. Branch tips are thinned to reduce weight and chance of failure. Correct pruning improves aesthetics, increases plant health and improves the safety of large trees.
All tree species and stages of maturity differ. It’s a good idea to have a pruning management plan for all trees; an arborist can play an integral role in creating and following this plan. Improper pruning can often be more damaging than no pruning at all. A well executed pruning regiment can help to ensure a tree is here and thriving for generations to come.
