A yard full of large, healthy trees is a joy. Not only will you enjoy a full-shade canopy and several cool outdoor spots to linger, but local wildlife will also have a home. If your trees are showing signs of illness or age, bringing in an arborist to check their health is key.
Summer Is the Time to Look for Disease
A diseased tree is much easier to spot in midsummer. The leaves may be spotted or curling. Some branches may be bare. An infected tree can be treated in summer and the diseased branches removed to give the tree a chance to rebuild strength in dormancy and thrive again next summer.
During full leaf, you will also want to get your trees checked for overcrowding. Winter branches may move in the breeze, but a crowded canopy can cause branches to rub together. This rubbing action can strip away bark and leave even young trees vulnerable to pathogens and pests.
In either case, summer pruning can do a lot to protect the health of your trees. While the loss of branches may leave the trees looking sparse, new growth will be much healthier in the coming years.
Deep Pruning and Removal Should Wait for Winter
When a tree goes dormant, it can tolerate more severe pruning. Your arborist can get further into the canopy once the leaves drop and see which branches are most necessary to remove or prune for a healthy canopy. Since stinging insects can add a great deal of danger to pruning and tree removal, waiting for bees and wasps to go dormant is also a wise choice.
Tree removal may also be safer and easier on a cold, dry day. The heavy equipment that may be necessary for tree removal, such as bucket trucks, will be less likely to sink into the soil on your property. Often, tree removal involves dropping large or heavy branches first. Wet soil, such as after a spring rain, can make this process sloppy and dangerous.
Of course, emergency tree removal may be necessary if you have a damaged tree on your property that is:
- Badly out of balance
- Leaning toward your home or outbuildings
- Shattered or splintered
Emergency removal is possible in most conditions, though it may need to be avoided on very windy days.
A skilled arborist can help you maintain the health of your Vancouver, WA trees, but if you do need trees removed, contact the professionals at Reyes Tree Service LLC. You can also get our input on other options, such as which species will thrive in your yard.
