Tree Pruning Services in Portland, OR
Keeping Your Outdoors Healthy & Beautiful
General Tree Service’s ISA certified arborists have been pruning trees and shrubs in the Portland-Vancouver metro area for over 90 years. With residential and commercial services, we’ll keep your trees and shrubs strong and healthy. Specialized training, proper equipment, and an ‘eye’ for what needs to be done are tools of our trade.
For tree pruning and trimming, call General Tree now at (503) 461-6535.
What Is Tree Pruning?
Tree pruning is the process of selectively removing certain parts of a tree, such as branches or buds, to improve its health, shape, or growth. This can involve cutting away dead or diseased branches to prevent the spread of disease, thinning out crowded branches to allow more light and air to reach the tree, or shaping the tree to maintain a desired appearance.
Pruning helps keep trees healthy and can prevent potential safety hazards from falling branches. It’s a regular maintenance task that helps trees grow stronger and look better.
The Importance of Tree Pruning in Portland's Unique Climate
Pruning may not seem essential for your trees. After all, trees grow just fine in the forest without ever being pruned. But that’s just the point: the trees in your backyard aren’t growing in a forest. In a forest, trees face fierce competition for sunlight, causing them to grow straight up toward the light.
In most Portland yards, trees don’t have as much competition. They can grow outwards as well as upwards. While this may seem beneficial, it can cause problems if the tree isn’t properly pruned.
When a tree grows outwards without pruning, it increases the chances of a weight imbalance, making the tree more susceptible to toppling during the Pacific Northwest's strong winds and storms.
Pruning also ensures that your trees look the way you want them to while allowing them to grow strong, sturdy, and safe. Sometimes, when a tree becomes too “crowded” near the crown or in the branches, it can be detrimental to the rest of the tree. In some cases, this can make trees more susceptible to disease and infestation, which are common concerns in Portland's climate.
How Often Should You Have Tree Pruning Services Done?
You should have tree pruning services done about once every couple years for most trees. However, some trees may need more frequent pruning, especially if they grow quickly or have health issues.
Regular pruning helps keep your trees healthy, safe, and looking good. It’s best to consult a professional arborist to determine the right pruning schedule for your specific trees and their needs.
What Are The Risks of Improper Tree Pruning?
Improper pruning not only affects the immediate aesthetic appeal of a tree but can also have serious long-term consequences for its health and stability. At General Tree Service in Portland, we prioritize the well-being of your trees by employing certified professionals who possess an in-depth understanding of arboriculture principles.
Trees are living organisms with complex biological processes, and their response to pruning varies depending on factors such as species, age, and environmental conditions. Our expert arborists are trained to assess these factors before making any cuts, ensuring that each pruning action promotes the tree's long-term viability.
One of the primary concerns with improper pruning is the failure of cut areas to heal correctly. When a tree's natural healing processes are compromised, it becomes vulnerable to invading pests and pathogens, putting its health at risk. Our pruning crews adhere strictly to industry standards established by reputable organizations such as the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z1.33 standard.
By following these guidelines, we not only enhance the visual appeal of your landscape but also safeguard the health and integrity of your trees for years to come. Trust General Tree Service to provide professional pruning services that prioritize the well-being of your trees and the sustainability of your environment.
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Do All Trees Need Pruning?
Different trees need different kinds of pruning done at different times of the year. Generally, trees should be pruned when dormant, before spring. Trees that are prone to certain diseases should be pruned only during periods when spreading is least likely.
Nearly every type of tree benefits from some form of pruning.
Pruning 101: Types of Pruning
Pruning is mainly done for either hazard reduction (eliminating a possible hazard or danger) or maintenance (improving health and structure).
The following types falling into one or both of these categories:
- Crown cleaning-remove dead, dying, diseased or weak branches
- Crown thinning-increases light penetration, air movement and reduce weight
- Crown raising (lift pruning)-remove lower branches to provide clearance
- Crown reduction-decrease height or spread to reduce encroachment to a structure, other trees, etc.
- Crown restoration-restores canopy structure to a tree that had been poorly pruned or a diseased tree
How Is Tree Trimming and Pruning Different?
When it comes to caring for your trees, you’ll generally choose between two options – pruning or trimming. Pruning is generally done for aesthetic reasons – removing dead branches or cutting back foliage that is affecting your home. Tree trimming, on the other hand, has a wide range of applications. Some of the benefits of tree trimming include:
- Improves Tree Health: All homeowners want lush trees, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your trees are healthy. With larger branches getting a disproportionate amount of nutrients, it can prevent new growth. Tree trimming can help remove those older branches and make way for new ones – increase the lifespan of your trees in the process.
- Increase Sun Exposure: Trees require sunlight for proper nutrient absorption and growth. While a full and lush crown may look nice, it can actually prevent this essential sunlight from reaching all the branches.
- Prevents Emergencies: A fallen branch can pose a ton of risk to your home and safety. Whether it falls on a person, a car, or breaks through a window, these emergencies can easily be prevented with annual tree trimming.
- Helps Protect Tree Roots: Excess weight at the top of your trees can strain the existing root system – especially if they’re already sick or damaged. Our tree trimming experts can help reduce that excess strain and help your trees recover.
At General Tree Service, you can count on our Portland tree trimming service experts to help make the most of your trees. Whether it’s a beautiful oak or some fruit-bearing options, we ensure healthy growth and that boost in curb appeal you’ve always wanted.
Professional Pruning Services in the Portland-Vancouver Metro Area
Pruning and tree trimming is an essential part of keeping your trees happy and healthy while simultaneously ensuring the safety of you and your property. If you know what you’re doing, pruning shrubs or bushes is a fairly straightforward prospect. However, pruning trees is a different story.
When you hire a professional arborist to inspect and prune your trees, you can rest easy knowing that you aren’t putting yourself in danger to keep your trees healthy.
The professionals at General Tree know how to utilize state of the art equipment and proper safety protocols to prune trees without damaging property or threatening anyone’s health.
Proper tree pruning and trimming is essential for the health of your trees and shrubs. Prevent sick plants, falling trees, and future hassles with professional arborists pruning and trimming services from General Tree. Call us at (503) 461-6535 today!