Tree Crowding – Trim, Prune or Remove? What’s Best?
If you have an overcrowding problem, there is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution. Trimming, pruning, or removal may be helpful solutions, but the best way to determine the best fit for your yard is to hire a certified arborist in Newnan, Georgia. Arborists, otherwise known as tree doctors, can evaluate the health of your yard and make recommendations for remedying any tree health concerns. As a company led by arborists, we can assure you that arborists will always conserve trees and only recommend removal when it is the last resort.
- Your trees will be competing for resources — Trees need water, airflow, sunlight, and soil nutrients to thrive. When you have too many trees in your yard or they are too close together, the trees will block each other out from sunlight and airflow while competing for enough water and soil nutrients. As a result, some of your trees will be weakened and stunted from their potential growth and others may die.
- Your trees will be at greater risk for disease and infestations — Overcrowded trees are already weakened by resource competition, but if one gets sick, the close proximity allows for a quick spread throughout your yard. When trees are physically touching, preventing the spread of disease and pests will be virtually impossible.
- Your trees will struggle with too much shade — Sitting under the shade of a tree can be pleasant for us, but too much shade will hinder your yard’s health. The shade from a tree tends to prevent other plants from growing underneath. Too many trees with thick canopies of leaves will limit vital sunlight from reaching smaller trees, plants, and grass below. Without adequate sunlight, they will become weakened and likely die prematurely. Beyond weakening your plants beneath the trees, fungi and disease prefer shaded environments, so you could be introducing your yard to potential health problems.
Tree Trimming vs. Tree Pruning
Trimming and pruning may sound similar, but they are actually different practices. Pruning removes dead, diseased, damaged, or non-productive branches or stems. Some trees may only need pruning if they have a health issue, while some ornamental trees need preventative pruning every 2-3 years to ensure the tree is using resources appropriately. Your tree doctor can recommend the ideal pruning schedule for your trees. Trimming focuses on removing branches for ideal appearance, structure, and balance. If a tree branch is growing too close to your home or another tree, trimming can be a solution to help. Annual trimming is pretty common for young trees and shrubs to keep a balanced structure and ensure proper health. Trimming may also be necessary as a tree continues to grow because older branches can block out new growth below. Before you get outside with a chainsaw and start trimming branches off at random, please note that improper tree trimming can shock your tree and cause worse health problems. No more than 20% of a tree’s foliage should be removed in a single trimming. Hiring a professional tree company in Newnan, Georgia is a wise choice to ensure that the right branches are removed for the health and structure of your tree.
Tree Removal
Depending on the placement of your trees, removal may be the only choice to solve the overcrowding in your yard. Each type of tree has a different recommended spacing to accommodate its future growth. Trimming back may help alleviate some of the impact of overcrowding, but it may not fully eliminate the problem. Although removing a tree can be a daunting decision, removing one tree to preserve the health of your other trees, plants, and grass can often be a justified and wise choice. We can evaluate your yard and recommend whether tree removal is necessary.
If your trees are overcrowded, schedule a visit with 770-Tree-Guy. Our tree service in Newnan, Georgia will assess your yard and offer a customized solution to resolve the issue.
