Trees have an impeccable ability to survive, even with a couple of dead branches and perfectly healthy ones.
How do you tell a tree has a dead branch? Does trimming dead branches help a tree? As experts in tree trimming and pruning in Reading, MA, we’ll discuss the effects of dead tree branches and whether trimming them helps a tree.
How to Identify a Dead Tree Branch
A healthy, living branch will be inherently flexible. If you suspect a dead branch, try a snap test.
Hold a small branch or twig with both hands, about six inches apart, then bend it gently. If it bends, it’s most likely alive. A dead branch will snap easily and appear dry and brown inside.
Alternatively, find the very end of the branch in question and snap a twig to observe the inner parts. A live tree branch will be fibrous or stretchy with greenish and succulent insides.
Why Do Tree Branches Die?
In most cases, tree branches die of natural causes and occur in the inner canopies that barely get sufficient sunlight. However, pests and diseases may also invade a tree and feed on its vascular tissues, effectively blocking water movement in the tree and killing it.
Reasons To Remove Dead Branches
Does trimming dead branches help a tree? Yes, trimming or cutting off dead branches helps a tree in several ways.
Enhances Safety
Besides adding unwanted weight to your tree, dead branches break when they dry up, potentially causing costly property damage or injuries. Removing the dead branches eliminates such problems.
Promotes Good Tree Health
Proper trimming of dead tree branches will spark healthy growth in young trees and result in a sturdier and healthier mature plant.
Enhances Aesthetics
Pruning your tree and regularly trimming dead or diseased tree branches can return vitality to your tree, improve sun exposure, and enhance its aesthetic appearance.
Bottom Line
Identifying dead tree branches and acting fast minimizes the many risks they pose to the tree and its surroundings. When you allow a dead or dying branch to remain on a tree, you create a safety hazard and expose the tree to pest infestation and disease.
Now that you understand the benefits of removing dead or diseased branches, you need to make sure you do it right. Hire a tree care expert to trim or prune your tree safely and professionally.
Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance
Are you looking for a professional full-service tree company experienced in all phases of tree work? Trust East Coast Tree Service for first-rate residential and commercial tree care solutions. We guarantee 100% satisfaction with any and all our tree services, including:
- Tree removal
- Tree pruning and trimming
- Tree chipping
- Tree fertilizing
- Stump grinding
Contact East Coast Tree Service today for answers to the question, “Does trimming dead branches help a tree?” or to learn more about ornamental tree pruning. Call us at (781) 518-8014 for superior tree service in Eastern Massachusetts.
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