4 Benefits of Having Your Trees Pruned

When most people think of the potential benefits of hiring a pruning service in Cambridge, they probably think of the aesthetic benefits of having trees pruned. While pruning can make your trees look better, it offers many more benefits as well. It can benefit you, your neighbourhood, and the trees themselves. Here are some specific benefits of having trees pruned.

1. Environmental Benefits

You may have a large, beautiful tree in your yard, but have you noticed that the growth beneath it can be a little skimpy? The large canopy of your tree can prevent water and sunlight from reaching the grass and shrubbery underneath. As a result, these plants may struggle to grow, which results in bare patches underneath your tree. Pruning the tree thins out the canopy, allowing more sunlight and rainwater to reach the ground, which gives the smaller plants a better chance at survival.

2. Safety Benefits

Branches that are broken, dead, or dying are more likely to fall out of the trees. This can cause property damage if the falling branches strike a house, car, or fence. It can also injure people who happen to be standing under the tree at the time if the falling branch lands on them. The severity of the injury depends on factors such as the size of the branch and the part of the body where it hits.

Sometimes the branches do not need to be damaged to cause a safety hazard or potential property damage. High winds can cause the branches of a tree to whip around. If they come in contact with the side of a house or the roof of a car, they can cause scratches or dents. Branches that hang down over the sidewalk could potentially strike passersby if whipped around by the wind. Some communities have ordinances stating that tree branches that hang down to a certain level over the sidewalk have to be pruned away in the interest of public safety.

3. Tree Health Benefits

Trees are susceptible to diseases just like human beings are. Pruning can help to prevent these diseases and keep the trees healthy. For example, pruning away excess branches can help increase airflow among the canopy, which helps to prevent leaf disease.

If the tree is already infected, pruning may help prevent the disease from spreading further. This can help to treat certain fungal infections if the pruning takes place in the early stages before the fungus has had a chance to spread. A diseased tree can also attract insect pests, such as carpenter ants. If the branches of your tree make contact with the exterior of the house, they may provide a conduit by which the pests can enter your home. Pruning tree branches may not keep insects out of your house, but it may slow their progress, buying you time to come up with another pest control solution.

Sometimes, pruning a tree isn’t enough to keep it from becoming diseased, and the tree may die as a result. In this situation, there are safety and environmental benefits of cutting down trees so that they do not become unstable and fall or attract pests to your property.

4. Growth Benefits

It may sound counterintuitive to hear that pruning trees help to promote new growth, but it is true nevertheless. It allows trees to stop wasting resources on branches that are unhealthy and start dedicating them where they will prove more constructive. For example, if you have fruit trees, pruning them can help yield a better harvest.

Martin’s Provides a Pruning Service in Cambridge

As a Cambridge homeowner, at some point, you will probably ask yourself, “Where can I find a tree pruning service near me?” If that time is now, Martin’s provides all tree services, including pruning, in Cambridge and the surrounding area.