Melbourne’s tree pruning experts

Healthy trees, one limb at a time

You’ve found the secateurs and handsaws in the shed and given them a quick clean to remove the rust. What else is there to pruning a tree?

Turns out there’s a lot more if you want to keep your trees happy and healthy.

Giving your trees a seasonal or regular prune is good gardening practice.

Why get a professional for your tree pruning services?

If you’ve just moved into a new Melbourne property, or you’ve never had a tree maintenance program for your property before, it’s always a good idea to speak to someone who understands your landscape before you tackle the job yourself. Here’s what Max and his team consider before pruning any tree:

1. CURRENT TREE HEALTH: The golden rule of pruning is that you don’t stress an already distressed tree. Visible signs of stress include infection or infestation of the leaves and wood, and/or sending out suckers (knows as epicormic growth). If either of these are present, the aim is to return the tree to health before starting a regular pruning schedule.
2. TIME OF YEAR: Not all trees like to be pruned at the same time. Most deciduous trees only like to be pruned when their branches are bare of leaves.
3. WHAT TYPE OF PRUNING IS REQUIRED?

There are four main types of pruning:

1. Deadwood: Removing any dead, dying or diseased branches. This prevents damage through the dead branch falling. Is also used to make the tree look better and stop the spread of disease.
2. Thinning: Removing branches to thin the crown of the tree. Used to increase air circulation for the health of the tree, it also allows more light through the canopy for the garden or lawn underneath. Young trees can handle thinning better than mature trees and no more than 30% of the canopy should be removed.
3. Uplift: Removing low-lying limbs that interfere with people or vehicle access, landscaping or buildings. Again, the age of the tree determines how much of the tree can be removed, with younger trees faring better. Also, removing too many limbs too early can affect the growth of the tree.
4. Weight reduction: Used to reduce the overall height or width of the tree. By removing selected branches on the limb, the tree can be shaped for a healthy growth pattern.

Why should I have a regular tree pruning service?

Here are six reasons why you need a regular tree pruning service by a professional like Max Tree Services:

• It increases the health and strength of the tree overall. Trees naturally create deadwood by moving all toxins and nasties to a weak branch and then they shoot off in a different direction. This weak branch becomes a home for insects and termites than can infect the tree. Regular pruning stops the entire limb from needing to be removed.
• Greater safety. Incorrect pruning encourages tree infection and rotting which creates structural defects, causing unsafe and unplanned breakages.
• Encourages growth. By regularly removing the weaker branches, the tree is able to send vital food and nutrients to the healthier ones for stronger limbs, branches and tree canopy.
• Overall less cost. Regular pruning will save you money in the long run. By assessing the overall health of the tree and soil, remediation treatments can be introduced before the need to remove and grind well established trees.
• A well-maintained garden will always increase the value of your property. This is especially true if your property is in a heavily wooded suburb needing firebreaks.
• A regular pruning service allows you to monitor the health of your trees and have a regular evaluation of their progress. Sometimes it’s just small changes that need to be implemented for greater growth.

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