Tree Monkey LLC

Removing hazardous dead and broken limbs that can damage property or cause injury when they fall,

promote new growth and tree health, control shape and aesthetic quality,

increase strength by eliminating weak branches, improve your view for line-of-sight safety

or curb appeal, reduce mold & mildew build up and, branches rubbing against

your house or roof, trimming branches away from your house helps prevent rats, and similar pests from getting into your home.

 

Types of tree trimming and pruning:

 

Raising the Canopy:

In this type of tree trimming only the lower limbs on a tree are removed.

This is the most popular type of pruning. The end result is increased curb appeal. 

 

Crown or Canopy Cleaning:

This type of tree trimming is removing only unhealthy branches.

This is part of routine tree maintenance. All dead and diseased limbs are removed. 

Limbs too close together or with attachment points too close together are removed.

 

Crown or Canopy Thinning:

In crown thinning, the first step is to perform crown cleaning and then go on to

remove more branches with a focus on increasing aesthetics, improving light penetration,

improving air flow, improving visibility or a combination of the above. 

It is not recommended to remove more than 25% of the trees foliage producing limbs in one year.

 

Crown or Canopy Reduction:

Canopy reduction is used when a tree has outgrown its environment and cannot continue

to grow upward. This is most often due to interference with overhead utility lines and Heavy limbs. 

best done as part of a yearly maintenance program where a small portion is removed each year.

 

 

Topping:

Topping is similar to canopy reduction except the reduction is often the removal of nearly

100% of the foliage-producing limbs. Tipping or topping is the last resource before

complete tree removal. Not all trees can withstand this type of pruning.   

 

Shaping or Training Young Trees:

Starting with young trees is the best way to prune. A little work in the first 5-10 years

of a tree’s life can save a lot of work later. Trees respond well to pruning when young

and can be trained towards a desired shape. When trees are really young you can focus

on shape and as they get older you can focus on removing branches that are

too close together or even rub against each other, as well as branches that

have weak unions. As stated earlier, it becomes more problematic to prune trees as they get older.

 

Application of Wound Dressing Paint:

When limbs are pruned properly (Not leaving a stub and not flush cutting too close to the trunk)

wound dressing should not be necessary. However, using a black wound dressing can

help aesthetics if several limbs are removed.

 

 

Making Correct Pruning Cuts:

It is critically important when trimming larger limbs that you know where and how to cut them.

Where to cut involves not leaving a nub and not flush cutting into the branch collar.

Where the branch joins the tree in most types of tree there will be a noticeable collar.