How Bad Trimming Harms Trees

Many homeowners struggle with properly caring for trees that are on their own property. One of the reasons why trees often get neglected is that many people don't know how to properly care for the tree. One mistake that people make is trying to trim trees themselves without understanding how to prune a tree for better growth. 

Bad trimming will affect your tree's health. Learn why bad pruning practices can be so harmful to trees.

Trees have stress responses

Did you know that trees respond to stress? When they are cut, they respond by sending growth energy to the area in order to heal the place that was cut. This helps to prevent trees from getting diseases and infestations from insects.

In order to harness that healing property of the tree, the tree must be cut in the right spot. Usually, this spot is near the collar of twigs and branches, which is why cutting close to the collar is best for pruning.

On the other hand, when the branch is cut right in the middle or if it is cut below or in front of the collar, the tree does not have as much ability to seal off open wounds. So, the tree is left vulnerable to infections and insects.

Trees try to correct harm with more growth 

Have you ever been frustrated when you trim a tree only to find that the tree grows more and more new green shoots out of the cut area? This is similar to a monster growing more heads after up the one head has been cut off. Instead of simply trying to continue to cut back growth, proper pruning will promote the growth of the tree in the right direction, leading to a healthy structure and better overall beauty. 

Sometimes improper pruning can also lead to the premature death of healthy branches. In order to save its own life, the tree will then shoot out suckers from the trunk itself as new growth to try and gather energy for the root system. Homeowners will try to trim these as they affect the beauty of the tree, and the tree responds by trying to grow more. It becomes a downward spiral as the tree desperately tries to heal itself but becomes increasingly unable to do so.

You can prevent this destructive and expensive damage to your trees by relying on a professional tree care company to give your trees the care they need for a long, healthy life.


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