Trees, just like every other plant, grow constantly. While this can be a huge benefit for your landscaping design, it can also present a safety hazard for you and your family, your property, and your vehicles, while also being a potential health threat to the tree itself. Understanding some of the warning signs associated with a tree that has been allowed to grow rampant for too long can help you identify when you need to get in touch with an arborist to have your trees pruned.
Overhanging Your Roof
The first sign that your tree is in need of being pruned back is if any of the branches hang over the edge of your roof. Not only do overhanging trees drop much more debris on your roof, potentially clogging your gutters and causing damage to your roofing shingles, but they also allow potential pests a pathway onto your roof and into your attic. Furthermore, in the event of a strong storm, broken branches can cause serious structural damage to your roof and the interior of your home. Pruning your trees back can save you quite a bit of money and frustration associated with pest removal, water damage remediation, and structural repairs, making it a good financial decision in addition to being an important part of your landscaping maintenance schedule.
Dead Leaves
Another fairly obvious sign that your tree is in need of a thorough pruning is if you notice that certain branches have dead leaves or sections on them. This can happen when a tree's canopy grows too lush and thick, preventing enough air circulation and access to sunlight and water. You may notice that you cannot see through the canopy of your tree, or it looks visibly dense and rough. Pruning some of those branches back can restore the green appearance of your tree's canopy and maintain the health of the entire tree.
Damaged Branches
Finally, the last and most important reason why you should call a professional arborist to prune your trees is if you notice that any branches have broken, are experiencing cracks, have had their bark stripped, or are simply hanging downward. This points to previously-experienced physical damage, which can be caused by a disease, pest infestation, or simply extreme weather. Pruning your trees can remove those branches before they have the chance to fall and do damage to the surrounding area, but you should also have your arborist inspect your tree for any underlying causes of that damaged limb to prevent it from happening again.
For more information, contact companies like Johnson's Tree Service & Stump Grinding.
After thinking about how to keep some of the flowers in my yard alive, it occurred to me that we had some real problems on our hands. For starters, we had a bunch of overgrown trees that needed to be dealt with. The second thing we had to take care of was the fact that we were really behind on basic yard care. I started talking with friends and neighbors about what they did to make things better, and they recommended a local tree service company. After they came out and made some changes, my yard was gorgeous. Learn more about tree care on my blog.