Fall is the perfect time to trim and remove deadwood from the trees in your yard…maintaining the trees on your property is important to insure longevity of your tree but also to keep them from causing damage to your home. As the leaves start falling it will become obvious which branches have a strain put on them and may need to be removed before ice and snow set in. Weak branches cannot survive the winter or the weight of ice and snow and they tend to buckle and crack. Smaller branches can collect in gutters causing blockages, while larger branches can cause damage to your home. Maintaining your trees will benefit you in the long time as a tree that stays healthy will not need to be removed.
If you cannot trim the branches on your trees safely, please call us for help! We can be reached at 301-250-1033 or info@hometowntreeexperts.com for a complimentary consultation and quote!
Why Dormant Season Pruning Works
Late fall and winter pruning has clear advantages. With the leaves down, the branch structure is fully visible, so weak unions, crossing limbs, and deadwood are easy to spot. Trees are dormant, which means they lose less stored energy when cut and respond with strong, controlled growth in spring. Cooler weather also slows the insects and fungi that can enter fresh pruning wounds during the growing season. For most shade trees in Maryland, the window from late fall through late winter is the safest time for structural pruning.
What to Remove Before Winter
Focus on the limbs most likely to fail under ice and snow. These include dead or cracked branches, limbs with narrow V shaped attachments, and long horizontal branches that hang over a house, driveway, or power line. Removing this weight before a storm reduces the chance of property damage and lowers the load that ice can add. A few tree types, such as maples and birches, bleed sap heavily if cut in late winter, so those are often best pruned in mid winter or after the spring flush.
Large limbs over structures call for proper rigging and trained crews. If a branch is beyond safe reach, contact Hometown Tree Experts at 301-250-1033 or visit our tree trimming page for a free consultation.