Fall is a Great Time to Have Trees Pruned
Contact: Lois Berg Stack, 207-581-2949
PORTLAND–All around Maine, arborists
are at work in trees –utility company pruners are out in force along the
state’s roads.
Wes Davis, manager of Vegetation Management Operations at Central Maine
Power, says that his crews are focused on pruning trees to clear utility
lines in preparation for winter storms.
” The utility arborists are very busy,” reports Davis, “doing routine
work, and getting ready for winter.”
The ice storm of January 1998 continues to provide a vivid reminder of the
good reasons for property owners to assess their trees, and have any
necessary pruning done in the fall.
“This is an excellent time to prune,” says Ted Armstrong, a consultant
with Whitney Tree Service in Gray. “The trees have finished
photosynthesizing and are less active now. Leaves are falling, making it
easier to see structure and determine what cuts to make. And there is less
risk of disease infection at this time.”
Consulting Arborist Tish Carr, with Skyline Tree Services in Belgrade,
agrees.
“Almost any kind of pruning can be done on ornamental trees at this time
of year,” she says. “Proper pruning cuts can open the crown a bit more and
thus allow wind to go through the canopy more easily, to help lower the
probability of a tree failure in the windy late fall months. This is a
also great time to remove dead, dying, and diseased branches to prepare a
tree for a good start in the spring.”
Lois Stack, ornamental horticulture specialist with e University of Maine
Cooperative Extension, says that while many pruning tasks can be done by
homeowners, climbing trees is different.
“Tree work requires specific skills and experience, and should not be
considered a do-it-yourself weekend project,