Trees are a great addition to the landscape. However, they need proper and regular care for the beauty and safety of the environment where they are planted. Tree lopping is one of the most effective processes to prevent your tree branches from growing beyond their limits and avoid tree diseases and pests. Lopping is also done to maintain the natural tree form and stimulate proper tree growth. Tree lopping should, therefore, only be handled by a trained and qualified arborist. Here are the three crucial guidelines to follow when doing tree lopping.
The Right Time for Lopping
Tree lopping should ideally be done when growth is dormant in the winter. When you lop trees in the winter, they get a burst of new growth in the spring and blossom into the beauty you desire. However, it is advisable to wait until the coldest part of the winter has passed to lop. Another season when you can lop the trees is the summer. Summer is perfect for corrective pruning to remove the parts which may have grown beyond limits and dead branches. The worst time to lop trees would be autumn because the season is characterised by a lot of decaying fungi and slow-healing tree wounds.
How Much Tree to Trim
Another crucial aspect of the trimming process is deciding how much trimming a tree needs. Ideally, you should not remove more than a quarter of the crown of the tree in one season. You should remove any side branches whose diameter is getting thicker than a third of the main trunk's diameter. When side branches grow too thick, they exert excessive pressure on the joint to the main trunk, which can lead to breaking.
How to Care for the Tree After Lopping
Lopping is just one part of the tree care process. The success of the process will depend on how well you nurture the tree after trimming it. For instance, you should water and mulch the tree after pruning because the tree will need additional nutrients to stimulate growth. You also need to keep checking the healing and regeneration progress to avoid losing the tree to fungi and other infections.
All these tree care processes can only be achieved with the help of a competent arborist. When you involve an arborist, you are assured that the lopping process will be carried out safely. You are also assured that the tree will regenerate healthily and that you will not lose the tree to disease. Talk with a professional to learn more about tree lopping services.
