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Winter Tree Pruning Can Be A Great Idea!

12/5/2018

 
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Proper winter tree pruning is a technique that can improve the aesthetic appeal, health, and vigor of your trees.

Below are some benefits of wintertime pruning:
  1. In the wintertime, most trees are dormant and so are the insects and diseases that can invade the pruning cuts.
  2. After the leaves have fallen, you can quickly view the tree’s structure and form. Diseased and damaged limbs are more apparent when not hidden with leaves.
  3. Pruning in the summer or fall can encourage new growth that might not harden off before the cold weather hits. This doesn’t matter in the winter.
  4. Winter pruning is right for your trees, providing them with plenty of energy to rapidly heal wounds and instigate spring growth that will disguise the pruning cuts.
  5. Winter pruning is right for your health, providing you a reason to get outside on a warm winter day to take pleasure in your landscape.

Even though the wintertime is a great time to prune, if the tree is a spring flowering one and the blooms are crucial to you, it may be best to wait and prune that tree right after it is finished blooming. Even though pruning spring flowering trees in the winter will not harm their health, it can diminish those blooms. If you don’t know if your tree is a springtime flowering one or not, ask a York arborist for assistance.

Why Prune?
The usual reason that folks prune their trees is to maintain or lessen the size of a tree. Other reasons to prune are:
  • Removing damaged, diseased, or dead limbs
  • Increase fruits or flowers
  • Stimulate growth
  • Eliminate branches that are obstructing or interfering with buildings or pedestrians,

Winter is a favorite time to prune trees. Almost all the leaves have fallen, and you can see the tree structure. With a straight sightline to the tree’s interior growth behaviors, it is usually more straightforward for an arborist to detect structural problems and make the right pruning decisions.

Pruning modifies the growth and form of the tree so any questions must be asked before pruning is started.

When to Prune Trees

8/8/2018

 
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It’s tough to know when to prune trees when there’s so much conflicting advice. The good news is, pruning your trees is simpler to master than most people think. Use Tree Service York PA’s handy guide to know when’s the best time to prune for the health and longevity of your tree.

Prune Anytime for Plant Health
If your tree has dead or diseased limbs, limbs that are crossing over one another, or limbs that are hanging in hazardous positions, prune those suckers off any time, winter, spring, or summer. Keep in mind that while a clean clip here and there won’t do much, a significant amount of pruning will kick your plant into growth mode. So when pruning for health, prune sparingly when possible.

Prune During the Winter to Encourage New Growth
Tree care specialists agree that pruning during a tree’s period of dormancy is the preferred window for several reasons:
  • The tree is not producing new growth during the winter.
  • All branches are exposed, giving you access to every part of the tree.
  • Pruning during dormancy tends to rejuvenate the tree just in time for its new growth period.  

Prune for Spring Cleaning
It’s not a good idea to prune heavily in the spring as this is when many trees are putting on their best blooming show, so save the heavy spring cleaning for your closets. However, a little tidying up in the spring is sometimes in order. Clip the flowers when they’ve wilted to encourage continued blooms all season long.

Pruning Fruit Trees
Fruit trees have their own set of rules for the first few years after planting. Once they become established, prune during dormancy for best results. Avoid summer pruning which will inhibit growth--not good if you’re expecting a plentiful fruit harvest!

Never Prune in the Fall
Just like bears hibernate to make it through the long winter, trees also go dormant during the winter to conserve energy. Pruning a tree encourages new growth and requires the tree to expend a lot of energy, which is why pruning a tree right before it goes into its period of dormancy is a bad idea. Pruning in the fall also increases the risk of disease. Relax with a pumpkin spice latte and leave the pruning for another season.

Don’t Prune Dangerous Limbs
You should never risk your life to prune a limb. If your tree has hard to reach limbs, limbs that are extra large, or limbs that might cause damage on their way down, it’s best to call a professional tree care company to do the job for you. Happy pruning! ​

Should You Mulch Around Trees? Yes, and Here’s Why.

7/18/2018

 
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Planting trees can be quite the expense in itself, so it’s no wonder people hesitate to put mulch around trees. Mulch can be costly and applying it takes a bit of work. But trust us--mulch is essential to helping new trees get the protection and nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong. Here are Tree Service York PA’s top three reasons every young tree needs mulch:
  1. Trunk and Root Protection: Mulch protects the tree trunk from mowers and weed-eaters and shields the roots from foot traffic, weed and grass interference, and harsh temperature fluctuations that lead to root stress.
  2. Increased Growth: Mulch encourages growth by increasing minerals and nutrients in the soil around the root system. It also helps the soil retain moisture that the roots sponge up in order to grow. Mulched trees grow almost double the speed of non-mulched trees! If that’s not motivation to mulch, what is?
  3. Promotes Soil Health: In addition to trapping minerals to keep soil healthy, mulching your tree helps reduce soil erosion, keeping the top layer of nutrient-rich soil around your tree’s roots for longer.

What Kind of Mulch Is Best?
The best mulch is organic, thick, composted bark or wood chips. A bed of pine needles or leaves works well, too. Don’t use mulch made of plastics, fabrics, or moss: These types of mulches do not provide the same benefits as organic mulch.

How Much Mulch Should I Use?
Use no more than 2-4 inches of mulch, spread 3-5 feet around the perimeter of the tree. Too much mulch can actually be detrimental to your tree, encouraging disease or rot.

How to Apply Mulch Around Trees:
Remove all weeds and grass from the perimeter of your tree, about 3-5 feet outward. Apply a layer of your preferred mulch, starting a few inches out from the trunk’s base. Never pile massive amounts of mulch right up on the base of the trunk as it encourages rot. A just-right layer of mulch will improve the health of your tree the way nature intended.

To keep your mulch in tip-top shape, perform yearly upkeep: Rake back existing mulch a few feet and fill in the ring with fresh mulch.

If you have tree care questions, we have the answers at Tree Service York PA. From tree removal to planting to tree trimming services, we do it all.​

How to Correctly Stake a Tree

7/4/2018

 
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Are you wondering how to stake a tree? It’s quick and easy to do. But before we begin Tree Staking 101, we’ll let you in on a secret: Most trees do not need to be staked.

Why? Letting your new tree grow naturally without help will allow it to anchor a robust and hardy root system into the ground, stabilizing it for years to come. The trunk of the tree will also benefit from building bulk and strength right off the bat. In fact, staking certain types of trees is actually detrimental to their growth.


There are a few instances that stakes are necessary, though. Let’s break it down:

When to Stake
  • Bare root trees
  • Container grown trees with a small root system
  • Young trees if you live in a wind-prone area
  • Top heavy young trees with a small root ball

When Not to Stake
  • Ball and burlap trees
  • Most container-grown trees
  • Conifers and evergreens

How to Stake a Tree
If you’ve determined your tree needs to be staked, you’ll be pleased with how easy it is. You’ll need only a few things:

Stake material: thin but sturdy metal or wood stakes (2)
Strapping material: soft material such as old pantyhose or canvas strapping (2)
  1. Insert the stakes on opposite sides of the tree, about 18” out from the trunk. Make sure not to drive the stakes into the root system.
  2. Gently tie the stakes to the tree, no more than ⅔ the way up the trunk. The ties should allow a little give so the tree can sway freely. Tying the material in a figure 8 around the stake and tree will allow the tree some wiggle room.
  3. Check the ties periodically to make sure they are not damaging the trunk.
  4. After a year, remove the stakes to allow the tree to begin growing on its own.

Yep, it’s that easy. When necessary, staking a young tree can provide it the jumpstart it needs to live a long, strong, and healthy life.

We love sharing our tree knowledge fellow arborists because at Tree Service York PA, tree care is our passion. From tree planting to stump grinding to emergency tree removal, we offer tree care services that are affordable and professionally executed. That’s why we’re the top tree specialist in central PA.

For more tips, read our blog or
give us a call at 717-216-4888.
​

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  • Home
  • Services
    • Emergency Tree Service
    • Tree Cutting
    • Tree Removal
    • Tree Crown Reduction
    • Tree Trimming
    • Stump Grinding
    • Stump Removal
    • Tree Cabling and Bracing
    • Tree Crowning
    • Tree Pruning
    • Wood Chipping
    • Land and Brush Clearing
    • Tree Planting
  • About
  • Contact
  • Locations Served
    • Leaders Heights
    • Jacobus
    • Emigsville
    • Mount Wolf
    • Manchester
    • Marietta
    • Bainbridge
    • Wrightsville
    • Dallastown
    • Windsor
    • East Prospect
    • York Haven
    • Red Lion
    • Dover
    • Loganville
    • Seven Valleys
  • Blog