You’ve likely seen yards with magnificently large trees with expansive canopies that provide ample shade. However, every property can’t handle expansive tree growth.
Our tree pruning company in Lafayette, OR, knows how to keep a tree small without damaging it. Call an Oregon Arborist specialist to help with your tree growth woes and keep them a good size for your home.
Signs Your Tree Might Be Too Big
While tree growth can generally be beneficial, it can cause trouble for home and business owners in various spaces:
- The branches may hang over rooftops, driveways, or sidewalks, creating a potential hazard
- Long branches can touch power lines or entangle with other trees, making them susceptible to damage
- Roots can push against foundations or pavement, causing it to buckle or bulge
- Too much shade from a larger tree can choke the sunlight from smaller plants
- A tree could pose a property or damage risk to nearby neighbors if it falls
- The tree roots cannot absorb enough water, causing the leaves to look dull or dehydrated
How To Prevent the Issue Before Planting
Instead of learning how to keep a tree small, you can try staunching the problem before it starts. For example, remember the 10-10-15 rule of planting trees:
- Not within 10 feet of an overhead utility
- Not within 10 feet of an underground utility, drive or walkway, or road
- Not within 15 feet of a building or structure
Also, careful tree selection can give you a good idea of its future care needs, preventing problems. For example, how large do the deciduous trees you want in your yard usually grow?
Knowing its prospective size, canopy width, and other health details can help keep your trees manageable. Strategic planting can create a landscape that suits your needs without overworking or causing problems for your property.
You Already Have the Tree: What Now?
When you buy a property with a potentially problematic tree, you have to switch gears from prevention to maintenance. In general, you have two main methods to reduce tree growth:
#1. Tree Pruning
While you cannot keep your tree from growing taller, you can alter how it grows with pruning. This method helps remove unnecessary, dead, or dying tree branches, reducing their size.
We recommend pruning during the tree’s dormant season to allow the plant to grow freely and heal from pruning wounds. Summer pruning can damage certain trees but help others. Rely on an expert arborist to help you tell the difference.
#2. Plant Growth Regulation
Growth regulators can help keep an immature tree’s size down over time. You can also use them for mature trees, though it can be less effective. The hormones should not harm the tree and may help it better regulate its resource use.
Hire an Expert for Your Tree Care
Pruning young trees, removing dead branches, and managing a tree’s growth are all duties you should leave to professionals. Oregon Arborist experts know how to keep a tree small without damaging it, allowing your yard to flourish. For top-quality tree care services in Yamhill County, call (503) 899 4166 today!