Beat The Storm While Beating The Heat
As Central Floridians we live in an area where we are fortunate to be able to grow an array of beautiful and majestic shade trees. Just driving through our towns and neighborhoods, one is likely to notice varieties such as maples, sycamores, pines, magnolias, and oaks. These beautiful specimens enhance the architectural detail of our homes, provide habitats for wildlife, and endow us with much needed shade during our hot summer months.
Not much concern is given to these giants until they approach their mature heights, some reaching 25 feet while others can exceed 45 feet. Hurricane season begins June 1st and continues until November 30th. As the season approaches, people often begin to ask when and how much they should trim their trees.
Don’t Make These Costly Mistakes
Some mistakes people frequently make include “topping.” This is when the top of the canopy is removed. The tree often looks like a flat mushroom. Not only does this encourage bushy growth which makes the tree top heavy, it is illegal. Another practice is “lifting.” This is when more than 25% is removed from the bottom branches again making the tree top heavy and giving it a broccoli head appearance. In addition, some people panic and choose to completely remove the tree forfeiting the protection a tree can provide the home during a storm.
See-Through Trees Are The Key
The rule of thumb most arborist suggest when pruning is to simply lighten the canopy. This can be done by removing a large portion of the smaller branches within the tree, any dead or cracked branches, and any low hanging branches which are touching the roof. The saying is, “If you can see through the canopy, the storm winds will be able to move through it with less resistance.”
Tree trimming can be an extremely hazardous job. Since most homeowners don’t have the proper tools or the skills to perform this maintenance task, we recommend hiring a professional for this job.
