TREE PRUNING
Pruning, in part, is the best method of preventative care. Lightening the load on strained branches will not only prevent breakage, it will also promote new, more healthy and balanced growth. Tree pruning is also utilized to clear electrical service lines in a way least harmful to the tree. The end result should be your tree's natural shape groomed to the most optimal aesthetically pleasing state possible. The most important part of pruning, however, is to prevent disease and to ultimately prevent the loss of a tree. Pruning is also the more economic approach to keeping healthy and safe trees. It usually costs less to prune a tree throughout its lifetime than to remove it in its prime or post-prime. And, it certainly costs less to prune a tree than to clean up the aftermath of a failed tree!

POOR PRUNING IN THE PAST:  There are also many trees that suffer from poor pruning in the past. If your tree has suffered improper cuts that cannot be corrected there may be ground for fungal spores to multiply and infect your tree. Trees overcome by rot fungus and decay not only become disconcerting to look at but are often weak and hazardous. It is important that a professional makes the proper cuts when pruning your tree otherwise you may be setting yourself up for loss of a tree which often means loss of property and in the end the loss of hard earned money. Corrective measures often cannot be taken when cuts are made too close to the trunk and internal decay has already begun. This is why it is extremely important to have your tree pruned right the first time around.

NOT PRUNING AT ALL:  Some homeowners neglect to have their trees care for at all leaving the tree susceptible to many different types of disease and rotting. There are often "hangers" left within the crown of the trees. Co-dominant scenarios become over sized to the point that they are un-manageable. But most unfortunately, trees that would have lived full lives and provided shade and beauty on a property will often need to be removed because they have become a hazard and a threat to the property. This is a much larger cost to the customer than it would have been if the tree had been properly pruned throughout its life.

CO-DOMINANT LEADS

Trees often have limbs in their crown or perhaps even main leads that compete for nutrients and sunlight. This can, however, make for a dangerous situation when they become large enough. Neither contestant in the race for sunlight will have the appropriate strength for its size. This scenario is called "co-dominant lead". The worst case in this scenario is when this happens at the base of a tree. These particular trees are often in need of a cable system as well as a good professional pruning. Although pruning and cabling may suit certain situations, some trees may need the slightly less dominant lead removed. It is important that an expert handles this situation. If this cut is too close to the trunk there may be a situation for decay rather than healing. The same can happen if the cut is made too far from the trunk, crotch or base or the limb.