DIY Tree Trimming Tips
We can only give you the best advice: Call a professional for your DIY Tree Trimming safety and the safety of others. This work can be dangerous and homeowners and professionals are often hurt or killed each year.
Vista Tree employees have received extensive training and ongoing professional development. They also use the most up-to-date safety equipment and tools to keep them safe. You can be confident that you’re covered when you work for us. You don’t know what you might get into if you work alone or with uninsured, untrained employees.
We are often called upon to do DIY tree trimming. This is usually when clients realize they have made a mistake and have cut only part of the tree. Sometimes, it’s simply the realization that tree trimming is hard work. We recommend that you contact a professional for advice.
These are the things you need to know if you are certain your DIY tree trimming project will be small and safe.
Is proper pruning harmful to trees?
Pruning can be a safe and efficient way to keep trees beautiful, healthy, and safe. Pruning is safe and won’t cause any damage to the tree if done by an arborist. Pruning trees properly is a complex task that requires many best practices and guidelines. It’s too complicated to cover in one blog post.
These are the most important things to remember:
- Do not take too much
- Everything you do is permanent
- Trees can’t heal themselves
- Cut the right way
You can damage the tree irreparably if you take too much, or rip off the bark. Although trees can cover up wounds once they are done, the damage is permanent. The more severe the wound, the more likely it is to spread through the tree.
It is important to have a plan and understand basic tree biology before you start DIY tree trimming. These are great resources to learn more about trees and how they should be pruned or trimmed.
- Purdue University Pruning Handbook
- New Mexico State University Tree Pruning guide
- Fiskars Tree Trimming Guide
When is the best time to prune?
Vista Tree can prune many trees year-round. We work through winter to help with tree removal and pruning. Oak trees in Toronto should not be cut in the off-seasons due to oak wilt. Oak wilt, which has already devastated oaks in the USA and is now on the way to Canada, is a serious threat. Oak trees are safer if they are pruned in winter. To avoid freezing and cold, it’s better to do DIY tree trimming in the spring or early summer. You should wait to prune an oak tree or hire a professional if you are considering doing so. Before you trim the tree, make sure you do your research to find out if it is susceptible to any diseases or pests.
Pruning too often can cause trees to die.
Yes. Training and knowledge are required for tree trimming.
Too much tree trimming can cause problems. Trees are immune to wounds and can seal over any decay or damage caused by wood. Trees will not seal wounds that are too large or poorly made.
Trees can be stressed if they are cut too often during trimming. To keep their lives going, trees need to have leaves. The branch uses some of the energy from sunlight and leaves, while the entire tree uses a smaller amount. As the tree’s energy supply is decreased, removing too much can lead to serious problems for other branches and limbs.
There is a tipping point: if you cut too many branches or leaves off a tree it will not recover from the injuries sustained and the energy lost from the cut branches and leaves.
Start small if you are going to trim your small tree. Then, make some carefully selected cuts. You should hire a professional if you want to prune larger branches.
Arborists can’t undo the damage done to trees and are often called only after it is too late. The weight of fresh or green wood is extremely heavy. Without proper training, it is dangerous to remove large limbs. Tree trimming accidents cause many injuries every year. Do not be one of these people. Contact us today for a free consultation and estimate on tree trimming.
What equipment do I need?
You will need a small green wood handsaw like a Silky Zubat and a pair bypass pruners such as Felco #2s for small projects. When trimming trees, you should always use cut-resistant gloves and steel toe boots. Many people underestimate the weight and dangers of wood, especially when it is loaded with leaves or a pointed end that falls towards them.
If you don’t protect your eyes and feet, even small branches can fall on your eyes. Steel toe boots, chaps or steel toe pants, ear protection and eye protection are all required when using a chainsaw. A chainsaw is not something we recommend. If you had to, don’t use the chainsaw by yourself, without a ladder and with no instruction.
Finally, do not attempt to reach the ground with what you plan to trim. You can buy commercially-available pole pruners and pole saws at major retailers such as Lowe’s or Home Depot. These are great options for smaller branches that are difficult to reach, but are still relatively close to ground. It may seem like a good option. However, it is not a good idea to use a ladder against trees and cut branches.
Why is tree trimming so important?
You likely found this site looking for tree trimming services in Toronto. If pets or people are regularly under large, broken and dead limbs in trees, it can pose a danger to their health.
Urban trees are exposed to lots of sunlight and a lot more stress than those in rural areas. Trees can become too tall, overgrown or limber to continue growing properly in the future.
While DIY tree trimming may be an option for a small problem, such as a branch sticking out onto a path or a broken branch, you should call an arborist if you are having trouble cutting the tree repeatedly. Many clients have been trimming trees for many years before we are called.