Signs That Your Trees Need Trimming

As a property owner, you want your home, garden and outside space to look it’s best, and for those with trees on their land, this means keeping on top any required pruning and maintenance.

Having trees on your property comes with many benefits such as – they help to provide shade, add curb appeal, create privacy from neighbours and attract wildlife.

If, however, trees are left for long periods of time without the proper care and maintenance then they can overgrow, develop diseases and even become dangerous, especially if a storm or strong winds were to occur.

We spoke to some experienced Essex tree surgeons who gave us their expert advice on the signs that might indicate your trees need trimming.

Damaged Branches

Over time, due to the weight of the limbs or as a result of storm damage, branches can become bowed or splintered. These will eventually fall and if they are large or heavy branches then this can be very dangerous and potentially cause damage if not safely removed.

Dead Branches

In the summer when the tree is full of leaves or foliage, if you can see bare branches then this means that they are dead and should be removed so that the tree can focus its nutrients on the healthy parts.

Overgrowth

If the tree has become too dense, you can no longer see through the branches, they hang too low, it hangs too far over a road or the tree has simply grown too big for the space then this is excessive growth. Cutting back can help to keep growth in check and make sure that growth in future is done in a healthier, more measured way.

Strange Shape

Although trees are never perfectly symmetrical, they should have a pretty balanced shape. However, for many reasons some trees can grow into a strange shape or become uneven over time which cause poor weight distribution and requires pruning to set it right.

Crossed Branches

Branches should not cross or rest on each other as this unhealthy growth can lead to decay and kill the affected branches, possibly impacting the entire tree. Proper trimming can help to remove the unnecessary branches so that the tree can thrive.

Fallen Branches

It’s normal for twigs and small branches to fall down every now and again, especially in adverse weather. But if there are a substantial amount of them and larger branches that you can see are dead, have rot or damage then it’s probably time to do some much needed pruning.

Diseased Limbs

There are many different types of diseases that can harm trees from funguses and bacteria to pests. Some of the signs of disease to look out for include;

• Cracks
• Sunken bark, splits or holes
• Cankers
• Leaf discoloration
• Brackets (fungus)
• Soft crumbly wood
• Defoliation (losing leaves at wrong time of year)
• Root decay

Encroachment

It might be that the tree is close to utility lines, the branches are becoming too dense and blocking out the light in the garden or home or it could be a neighbour’s tree overhanging your garden. When trees start to encroach areas that are dangerous or inconvenient then it’s time to resolve the issue with a much-needed trim.