Tree Trimming Can Help Avoid or Treat Pests and Diseases

Tree trimming services aren't just to make your trees look pretty (although they can definitely do that). Tree trimming also keeps trees healthy by helping them to stay structurally sound and deterring pests and diseases. This service can often play an important role in pest and disease avoidance, and can sometimes even help to treat the problem.

Here are some of the ways that tree trimming can help avoid or treat pests and diseases.

Trimming helps prevent fungal growth

Some types of fungal diseases may affect a tree's leaves. One example is powdery mildew. Since this type of fungus grows most easily in areas with low airflow and plenty of humidity, keeping your tree well-trimmed so that leaves get more air and sun is an important way to help avoid this problem.

Trimming can remove diseased limbs

In some cases, your first clue that a tree is sick will be a limb that's dying and losing its leaves. If the problem at issue is a branch canker, treatment will involve trimming away the affected limb before the condition can spread.

Trimming removes limbs that attract pests

Some pests, such as borers, tend to be attracted to injured, dying, or otherwise stressed trees. While a pruning cut could allow borers in until the cut heals, leaving a dead or ailing branch is worse because it could attract these and other pests constantly. So you need to keep trees well-trimmed and free of any dead or dying branches that could act as a beacon to pests.

Trimming makes trees' condition easier to monitor

If your tree is an overgrown, bushy shape because it hasn't been trimmed in years, you may have more difficulty seeing what's going on in the tree's center. This can make monitoring for pests and diseases more difficult. This in turn could mean that a disease or pest problem can become more advanced before you catch it, making it more difficult to eradicate.

Trimming your trees regularly can help avoid this issue by making your trees easier to keep an eye on.

As you can see, tree trimming can help your trees stay healthy and avoid pests or diseases in a variety of ways. And in some cases, tree trimming can even be the solution (or part of the solution) after your tree has developed a pest or disease problem. For more information about tree trimming and when to schedule it, get in touch with a local tree contractor today.

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