All trees enter a dormant or resting season when daylight and temperature decreases in the late fall. Trees typically remain dormant until early April. In our region of southwest Colorado, mid-February until early March, is the best time to prune most types of trees. The cold weather ensures tree wound closure, if the pruning occurs just prior to the time new growth emerges. Tree pruning is necessary for the health and beauty of trees. Furthermore, pruning protects the value of your trees and increases their longevity.
Seven Tree Pruning Tips from The Colorado State Forest Service:
1. Know what you want to accomplish before you saw. Don’t remove any branches without a reason.
2. Remove any torn, dead or broken branches.
3. Try to develop or maintain one dominant vertical top stem, or leader, and don’t cut off the tops of trees.
4. Space the main branches along the trunk, and prevent branches below the permanent canopy from growing upright or too large.
5. Always prune just outside the branch collar – the point where one branch leaves a larger one (or the trunk), often discerned by raised or wrinkled bark.
6. Limit pruning of newly planted trees to the removal of dead, damaged or crossing limbs, or those interfering with the main stem.
7. Avoid removing more than 25 percent of a tree’s branches in any one year.
AVL can ensure proper pruning. From trimming bushes to cutting large branches and tree removal, AVL does it all. Let us help you find more time to do the things you love by leaving your Durango property maintenance needs to us. We will work hard to keep your lawn or property beautiful and healthy. AVL specializes in a variety of tasks, from mundane to complex. Contact us today for a quote on any custom projects. The answer to, “Can you do it?” is YES!
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