Y’all may know the phrase “addition by subtraction.” I live by it. Donating clothes helps me and my family get super organized. And, though I love my home, early life (when I had a barer budget without a hint of champagne) had an attractive simplicity to it.
When I call up someone to trim my trees, I’m following a similar principle. Though trimming removes some branches, in time, it actually spurs the tree on to health and growth. To understand why trimming your tree helps it flourish, consider what I experienced.
Trimming Promotes Limb Growth
First of all, trimming off dead or dying branches, especially in the winter and early spring, gives a wide-open lane for healthy growth to replace it. You’re essentially telling the tree to pay attention to that part of its body. In a few years, you’ll have a good-as-new branch that’s much beefier and leafier than the decrepit one you cut.
Not only that, but I saw how strategic trimming also opens up space for limbs underneath to grow. The key is that they gain access to sunlight when there’s less competition up above. In all, trimming evens out irregularities and makes your tree look like a million bucks.
It Helps Trees Bear More Fruit
If you planted a peach, apple, cherry, or another fruiting tree, trimming gets you closer to baking that delicious fruit pie at the end of the season. When you trim it early, it grows what it needs to bear fruit the following year. Given that fruit trees take a while to mature, it’s important to trim properly so that you can finally get something back from all your labor.
It Guards Against Pests and Fungi
Another reason trimming your tree helps it flourish is that, by getting rid of faltering limbs, you eliminate weak spots for critters and toxic fungi. While some can affect strong, sturdy trees, many require an open door to enter and wreak havoc. Decaying matter that lacks the continuity of protective bark attracts these unwanted organisms like yellow jackets to a soda can.
No matter why you start prioritizing trimming, there are so many reasons to put the saw in someone else’s hands and hire a professional trimmer. Though your safety is one, pros also know exactly what cuts help your tree the most.
