Tree Trimming & Tree Pruning Advice from a Milwaukee Arborist

When your yard is overgrown and looks like a jungle, it is difficult to decide where to start to get it under control. Proper and timely tree trimming and pruning can be a bit more involved than you might think. At M&M Tree Care, we have ISA certified arborists who follow ANSI A300 Pruning Standards for the best tree care possible. Here is some tree trimming and tree pruning advice from our team. And remember, some tasks can be tackled alone and some are better left to professionals.

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Types of Pruning

According to ANSI A300 Pruning Standards, there are 3 types of pruning projects:

1. Fine Pruning is just like it sounds – detailed pruning that is recommended for premium quality work. When fine pruning, the emphasis is on aesthetic considerations in addition to structural enhancement (as a secondary concern).
2. Maintenance Pruning is done when aesthetic considerations are secondary to structural enhancement and tree health concerns. Maintenance pruning is often done when pruning cycles are greater than one year.
3. Safety Pruning is done proactively when there are potential hazzards that can be avoided with proper pruning. Safety pruning is typically done annually to trees in relatively good condition.
4. Structural Clearance Pruning is done when trees actively interfere with buildings, parking structures, walkways, and streets. Structural clearance is most often associated with crown elevation and crown reduction.

Tree Trimming Safety

Safety is paramount, and some large tree trimming projects are extremely dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. Further, if you do not have heavy-duty gloves, a hard hat and safety glasses, along with good fastening devices, do not attempt this as a DIY project. It’s simply too dangerous.

Proper Tree Trimming Timing and Technique

In the Milwaukee area, paying attention to the seasons and pruning or trimming at optimal times of year is wise.

• Flowering tree pruning is proper after they have flowered in spring
• Summer blooming trees are typically pruned before flowering
• Prune fruit bearing trees in late winter so they have lots of sunlight during the growing season and produce abundantly.

If you don’t know how to trim and prune your trees properly, you can end up damaging or killing them instead. Knowing where to cut, how much of the branch to cut off and when to do it will ensure that the branch which grows back is strong, and will not cause more problems. Also, it is important to keep the bark from being damaged, as it invites disease and rot; so never use climbing spurs, and make sure the bark at the edge of any cuts you make is still well attached to the tree.

Professional Pruning and Trimming

Professional pruning and tree trimmers do the job the right way, at the right time. They understand how a tree lives and grows and what types of pruning and trimming it can take and remain healthy.  Do you need expert tree trimming and pruning services? If you are located in SE Wisconsin or Milwaukee, look no further than M & M Tree Care! Call 414-355-3420 or contact us online. If you are located somewhere else, you can use ISA’s Online Arborist Search tool to find or verify an Arborist.