DIY Tree Trimming Tips
Many homeowners have one or more trees in their property. While taking care of a tree to ensure that it grows well is not difficult in most cases, some times the tree can grow very fast and the branches can enter the house. In other cases, the branches may enter the neighbors’ property or interfere will the cabling. Since hiring a professional for cutting the branches may be expensive and inconvenient, many property owners are interested in doing the tree trimming themselves using tools that are easily available without harming or injuring themselves. Some tips on how to trim tree branches are provided to help tree and property owners
Need a Good Tree Trimming Company in Costa Mesa, CA? Call Us Now!
Property owners should be informed that DIY tree trimming is only advisable for smaller trees. It should be easy for the tree owner to access the branches which have to be cut, he does not have to use a ladder or other climbing tools. If the tree branches are near the electricity power cables, it is also not safe for a person with no experience to trim the branches. Additionally cutting heavy branches is also not advisable, since the branches may fall on the person cutting and cause injuries. Carrying heavy cutting tools and climbing a tall tree to cut branches is also extremely risky for a person who is not trained.
Planning
Before cutting a tree, the tree owner should plan the tree cutting well. He should have the right tools for pruning the tree and ensure that they are sharp. This will reduce the effort required for trimming the tree. He should have a close look at the tree which he is planning to cut and decide the branches which have to be cut. Usually, the branches which are growing close to the tree, within an angle of 60 degrees from the tree branch, should be retained while the branches which are growing at odd angles should be removed. While trimming the dead branches and twigs should be identified and removed first.
Trimming
The branch collar is the place where the branch is connected to the main tree trunk and is slightly swollen. The process of cutting depends to a large extent on the thickness of the branch. Thinner branches with a diameter of less than one inch, the branch should be cut just after the branch collar. For branches of thickness more than one inch, cutting should be a three-step process. First, half the branch should be cut. Then the branch section 10-15 inches from the branch collar should be cut. Then the final cut should be made close to the branch collar. Smaller branches that are growing awkwardly should also be removed.
Precautions
While trimming a tree, the tree owner should also take suitable precautions to ensure that the tree is not damaged, so that it dies. Ideally, not more than 25% of the trees canopy should be removed at a time, so that the tree does not suffer from stress, become weak or even die. Trimming the tree very often will also damage the tree. The person trimming the tree should ensure that the branch collar is not damaged while cutting the tree so that the wound caused by trimming the branches will heal. If the branch collar is cut, the wounded tree will not heal quickly, it may get infected by fungi, which could destroy the entire tree.
