Since you live in the Pacific Northwest, there’s a good chance you have many trees around your home. While these trees may not require as much care and attention as your flower beds or garden, you don’t want to just ignore them!
Taking some time twice a year to give your trees a little TLC will ensure they continue to increase your curb appeal, provide a pleasant landscape for you to enjoy, and not endanger your home.
Keep reading to learn the most important tree maintenance tips from our arbor experts.
First Things First: Know Your Trees
Here in Oregon and Washington, there are a wide variety of beautiful tree species. As you can probably guess, these different types of trees require different care.
Do you know what kind of trees you have on your property? Here at Northwest Arbor Culture, we are happy to help you identify the type of trees living around your home. The Arbor Day Foundation also has an easy-to-use tool for identifying trees.
Once you’ve honed in on the type of trees you’re living with, you should aim to learn the unique needs of each species. A few things to make a note of include:
How much water the tree needs and its preferred soil type
Whether or not the tree is drought tolerant
Any unique stressors, such as a low tolerance to high winds or overwatering
Make Sure Your Trees Get Enough Water
Here in the rainy Pacific Northwest, most trees get plenty of natural water. However, during the summer you may need to give your trees some extra help as an extended drought combined with sunny days is an easy way to kill off your trees.
Make sure you’re giving your trees a good soak a few times throughout the summer. This will ensure your tree and its soil remains healthy. During the winter, on the other hand, you can let your trees sit dormant.
The only exception would be if your tree has been recently planted within the last year. In this case, you’ll want to encourage its growth by making sure it has enough water. A good rule of thumb is that your new tree needs 5 gallons (1.5 inches of rainfall) every week.
Mulch A Few Times a Year
If you’re not familiar, mulch is made of decaying leaves or bark and is used to enrich and/or insulate the soil of your tree. Mulch will not only help protect your tree and its roots from distress, it also looks great.
A new layer of mulch placed around your tree a few times a year will keep soil moist and control weeds. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to use the correct amount. Too much mulch piled up around your tree can cause trunk rot and disease. Too little will defeat the purpose of the mulch in the first place.
How to Apply Mulch Around Your Tree
When applying mulch, the most important thing is to avoid choking your tree. Leave some space around the tree trunk, starting the mulch about 3-6 inches away from the base. Make about a 3-foot circle of mulch around your tree, about 3 inches deep
What Kind of Mulch is Best?
Only use mulch from a reputable source. Avoid just taking some from your neighbor’s leftover mulch pile. These leftover piles may contain materials from diseased trees and will cause more harm than good.
You can make your own mulch by combining materials from your own yard, such as healthy lawn clippings, shredded leaves, branches, and bark. Otherwise, if you have questions about what type of mulch to buy, give us a call. We’d be happy to help.
Your Tree Bark Matters
The bark on your tree is its natural armor against infection, disease, and rot. As you’re mowing your lawn or weed whacking around your property, take care not to knick your trees. Similarly, keep an eye out for anything else that might be causing regular damage to the bark of your trees.
Keep Pests Out of Your Tree Branches
Here in Oregon and Washington, we’re lucky to be surrounded by lots of beautiful wildlife. While animals like deer, squirrels, and raccoons can be fun to observe, they can also damage your trees if you’re not careful.
If you’re in an area that sees a lot of deer or has a rodent issue, there are a few steps you can take to not only protect your trees, but your entire yard and home. Keep in mind that a rat in your tree can usually scurry along branches and find a way onto your roof.
Here are some ways to keep pests out of and away from your trees.
Install deer fencing around your tree or the perimeter of your home
Add trunk guards to your trees to keep rodents away
Use a pest control spray along the perimeter of your property, if necessary
Don’t Forget to Prune Your Trees Regularly
Pruning is perhaps the most involved tree maintenance task you’ll need to perform. It’s also one that needs to be performed carefully. Improper pruning can prompt disease to spread, destabilize your tree, and in extreme cases, make it fall over.
We recommend hiring a professional arborist to handle the task– especially if you’ve never pruned a tree before. Pruning your trees, especially if they are large trees, can be dangerous and cumbersome. Working with a licensed, certified arborist will ensure your trees remain a safe, healthy, and beautiful part of your property.
If you want to go at the pruning process alone, here are some best practices to follow:
Remove dead or broken branches.
Get rid of crossing branches which are rubbing against each other and damaging the bark. Typically, you should remove the smaller branch, encouraging the stronger branch to continue growing.
Remove low branches, branches prone to damage, or branches encroaching on your house or roof
When cutting back to a main stem or branch, avoid making a flush cut. Leave a small collar of the branch, which will help protect your tree against pathogens
Even with all this in mind, be aware pruning techniques can be specific to each type of tree. It’s always best to consult a professional arborist before undertaking a large pruning job.
Count On Northwest Arbor Culture to Care for Your Trees
Need some extra help maintaining the trees on your property? Whether you need tree pruning or removal, are concerned about the health of your trees, or want to improve the overall landscape of your property, we can help.
Northwest Arbor-Culture Inc. is a full-service tree care, landscape, property maintenance and forest management provider. For over 30 years, we’ve been providing services to homeowners and businesses in Portland, Vancouver, and the surrounding areas of Oregon and Washington.
We are proud of our reputation for being the most dependable, professional, and educated team in the Northwest. We offer quality services at a fair price and unmatched customer attention.
Contact us to learn more or call us at (503) 538-8733 to schedule a free estimate.
Tree pruning is healthy. Think of it as a haircut — you’re not hurting the plant, just keeping things in the best shape and paving the way for future growth. But you don’t want to disfigure your shrubs. Misguided hacks can prevent your tree from blossoming that year. Consider this your quick guide to the best time of year for tree pruning and shrub trimming.
First, an important note: Dead branches, those in the way of pedestrians, and those that could damage your property can be removed anytime. Don’t wait with a dangerous situation. If you have a tree emergency, you can call us 24 hours a day at 503-538-8733.
When to Prune Trees: Winter
Overall, the best time to prune your trees is when they’re dormant, so late winter to early spring is ideal. (In fact, that’s the only time to prune birch trees and American elms.) For shade trees like ash and oak, winter is the perfect time. Deciduous fruit trees like apples, cherries, and pears should also be pruned in midwinter.
Oregon State University horticulturist Ross Penhallegon agrees. “November through March is a good time to prune,” he says. “If you are worried about winter freeze damage, wait until after Feb. 1, which is the best time to prune in western Oregon, and March 15 east of the Cascade Mountains.” Not only is it less traumatizing to the tree, but it’s easier to see the tree’s structure without all of its leaves. Fall isn’t too early to contact your arborist and set up an appointment for the months ahead.
When Not to Prune
Don’t wait too late! In general, you want to avoid pruning trees during late spring and early summer. That’s when everything is starting to bloom. Trees don’t have enough of a chance to heal before the growing season if you prune them too late. The burst of energy plants get in the spring will help heal small cuts made in the previous months.
If a tree already has leaves, don’t attack them too much — that’s where photosynthesis is happening and where the tree is getting its food. Not enough leaves mean not enough energy sources. Think of leaves as little, flat green batteries that keep the tree running.
Fall is also usually not the best time to prune. Cuts seem to heal more slowly during the fall, and pests or fungi can easily prey on plants. As Oregon State University says, “Pruning during the spring (post-dormancy) and fall (pre-dormancy) is generally the least desirable time as the plant is most vulnerable during those times.” Try to be patient and wait for trees and shrubs to be fully dormant before trimming them.
Although late winter and early spring is generally the best time to trim trees, some have different timelines. Read on for the intricacies of pruning.
When to Prune Flowering Shrubs and Trees
The main determining factor for pruning shrubs is whether they flower on old wood or new wood. Does your shrub blossom in early spring, on old wood from last season? The best time to prune them is right after they bloom.
If your shrub flowers on new wood — it’s a late bloomer, so to speak — the blossoms grow on the current season’s growth instead of last season’s. That means you’re fine to prune these shrubs in late winter to early spring, because you won’t be harming the blossoms yet.
Here’s a handy chart:
Old Wood
Most Plants & Shrubs
New Wood & Broadleaf Evergreens
Blossom time:
Early spring
Spring
Late spring
Best to prune:
After they bloom (early summer)
Winter
Late winter to early spring
Examples:
Lilacs
Shrubs grown primarily for their foliage
Lavender
Rhododendrons
Deciduous shade trees
Roses (mid-February to early March in the Willamette Valley)
Suckers and water sprouts are unproductive offshoots that steal nutrients from the main stem or trunk. They aren’t harmful, but they can be annoying. This is one of the rare times when you shouldn’t take to the pruning shears in the winter, during the dormant season, because that will make water sprouts and suckers come back with a vengeance the next spring. Instead, clip suckers and sprouts in the early summer months of May and June.
Check out this 30-second video about pruning suckers and sprouts:
Is My Tree Bleeding?
When you prune certain trees like maples, birches, and walnuts, they’ll ooze sap. This potentially disturbing sight is trees’ version of bleeding — except they aren’t hurt. In fact, this is completely normal. Once leaves start to grow, the sap will stop flowing.
Why Hire a Certified Arborist for Tree Trimming?
After reading all this, you might feel ready to head out back with your shears and do some trimming. Whoa there, Nelly! I admire your enthusiasm. Unless you’re experienced and quite knowledgeable about trimming and pruning, it’s best to hire an ISA-Certified Arborist® like us at Northwest Arbor-Culture, because we know how to trim your tree or shrub without topping or making dangerous cuts that leave your plant vulnerable to infection.
It’s already September, so it’s never too early to set up an appointment for tree trimming this winter! Call us today at 503.538.8733 or fill out our online form for a free quote.
Are branches blocking your windows or walkways? Are you tired of that overgrown tree dropping twigs all over the yard? Or is an old tree simply growing out of control?
Residents of the Pacific Northwest are no strangers to tree woes.
With the right tools, you can solve many small tree problems with a little DIY pruning. (Save major tree issues for us professionals.) Trimming can keep trees healthy, add value to your property, and make you the envy of your neighbors.
But which tree pruning tools should you use? The best tree pruning tool for any job depends on how thick and high up the branches are, so I’ll talk more about that in this post.
Here are 5 great options you’ll want to have in your tool shed:
1. Anvil Hand Pruning Shears
These small, hand-held shears have just one blade, which cuts as it closes onto a flat surface.
When to use them: Anvil shears are perfect for very small, easy-to-reach branches with a diameter of 1/2 inch or less. They are strong but tend to crush when they cut, so use them on dead branches and twigs rather than living ones.
2. Bypass Hand Pruning Shears
Unlike anvil pruners, bypass shears have two curved blades that cut by moving past each other like scissors.
When to use them: Bypass shears make more precise cuts than anvil shears. They are best for cutting living branches no thicker than 1/2 inch in diameter.
3. Loppers
Loppers are similar to hand shears, but they have longer handles, which give you more leverage for larger branches.
When to use them: Most loppers can tackle branches up to 2 inches in diameter. Use them for easy-to-reach branches that are just a little too thick for hand shears.
4. Combination Pole Saw Pruners
This amazingly versatile tool serves a huge variety of tree pruning needs. As you might have guessed, these long poles have both a saw and a shearing feature.
When to use them: Combination pole saw pruners are ideal for areas you can’t reach from the ground with other tools. The shearing feature is good for branches smaller than 1/2 inch, while the saw will work on thicker ones.
5. Pruning Saws
Pruning saws are one of arborists’ favorite tools. They are similar to traditional hand saws but specifically made for tree pruning.
When to use them: When a branch is within reach but loppers can’t handle it, a pruning saw might be your best bet. Pruning saws are great for branches about 1 1/2 inches thick or more.
Safety First
Unfortunately, DIY tree-trimming disasters do happen. Always wear gloves and eye protection, and if you’re planning on doing any serious pruning, you may want to invest in a hard hat to protect you from falling branches.
Even with the best tools, some tree problems are too big to tackle alone. That’s why we’re here. Certified arborists like us know how to safely deal with large projects or trees in danger of falling on people or property.
Are you concerned about the health or appearance of one of your trees?Contact us today and we can help.
like anvil pruners, 
They are similar to traditional hand saws but specifically made for tree pruning.
