Tree Loppers – How to Properly Prune Your Trees

A good pair of loppers are essential for keeping your garden tidy. They can cut through branches up to pencil sized in diameter, but for thicker stems you will need a more powerful tool such as a pruning saw. Lopper blades are generally sharp and have a high level of rust resistance, but make sure you handle them with care so that you don’t damage the cutting edges. Also be aware that using a pair of loppers for too long can cause wrist strain.

While Tree Lopping has some limited use, it is better to seek a qualified arborist for all pruning work as they have the skills, experience and knowledge required to understand the impact of their pruning on your tree and its health. They can recommend and implement pruning strategies to improve the quality and shape of your trees while also identifying signs of disease or pests.

They can also provide advice on planting and watering techniques to maintain the health of your trees, while recommending the best times to prune your trees for maximum benefit. This will not only improve the aesthetics of your property but also help to maximise fruit production. They can also provide stump grinding services to remove the remnants of a removed tree, which is often a hazard to pedestrians and vehicles.

The most important thing to remember when using a pair of loppers is to never twist the blades while cutting. This can cause them to bend or break and can potentially lead to an injury. Instead, grip the handles firmly and guide the blades in a smooth straight line through the stem of the plant. This will ensure that the cut is quick and clean, while also preventing the spread of disease.

You can choose from two styles of loppers; bypass or anvil. The former works like a pair of scissors and makes a clean, slicing cut that’s suitable for live growth, while the latter has a flat face that cuts against an anvil to crush and detach branches. Both types of loppers are suitable for removing or shortening green growth and dead branches, but the anvil style may be less appropriate for thicker stems.

It’s also worth noting that you should always prune just outside the branch collar and avoid removing more than 50%-100% of foliage, as this can starve the plant of its essential nutrients. While it might seem cheaper to hire a Tree Lopper, you’ll likely end up paying for their service more frequently as they’ll have to come back to deal with the damaged tree. This will add up over time and ultimately be more expensive than getting a qualified Arborist to perform the work in the first place. Contact GDE Tree Services today for a free quote on your next project! Our friendly office team is on standby to help.

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