When dry weather sets in and drought conditions develop, trees can become stressed. Arborists and landscapers who provide service for Tree Pruning in Arlington recommend waiting until the drought ends before getting branches trimmed. Even if the yard and trees are irrigated regularly, the tree roots still may not be getting enough water. Pruning the branches can cause further stress on these majestic plants.
Losing Food Stored in Branches
The main reason why pruning should be avoided during exceptionally dry conditions is that trees store food in branches. They lose the saved food when any wood is removed. Even when some substantial trimming could be done, workers who provide service for tree pruning in Arlington will always leave at least two-thirds of the tree intact so it doesn’t lose too much food.
Bringing Out Dormant Buds
Pruning can cause a tree to bring out dormant buds with new growth. In fact, that’s one reason pruning is sometimes recommended. But this can be harmful when trees are already not getting enough moisture to provide for their existing leaves, even when they have lost some through the cutting process.
Helping Stressed Trees
Property owners can help their trees during this time with additional strategies. Soaking the ground so the roots receive enough water eases the stress. It should be provided at a very slow speed. The water should reach at least 3 ft. below the ground surface. In addition, this is not the time to add fertilizer.
Cutting branches is always somewhat stressful to trees, but they normally rebound quickly. It should generally be avoided when the plants already are undergoing stress. The tree may not be strong enough to successfully battle insect invasions and disease in this condition.
Exceptions to the Rule
During drought conditions, a service such as Cambridge Landscape is willing to cut branches that are damaged in some way. If a branch has been broken or has died off, for example, those can safely be removed. This probably will not affect very much of the tree’s structure. Other branches that should be pruned for different reasons can be trimmed when the weather changes.
