Should You Cut Dead Branches off Your Trees?
What to Do With Dead Branches on Your Trees
Trees have the natural ability to live for hundreds of years. In fact, the oldest living tree in the world is approximately 4,853 years old and is located in Eastern California. While trees have an innate ability to survive life cycles through harsh weather conditions, their branches can become brittle and eventually die. This doesn’t necessarily mean the tree is dying or dead, especially if it’s a young tree with lush foliage. Dead branches on trees are common and can be part of their natural growth process.
Like a snake shedding its skin, trees periodically release their old limbs to make room for new growth. This process allows your trees to thrive and adapt to their environment. However, that doesn’t mean you have to keep the dead branches. Today, our local Edmonton arborists will provide you with a set of guidelines to help you spot a dead branch, how to prune deadwood, when to cut dead branches off trees, and why cutting off dead branches helps make sure your tree is healthy.
At Trusty Tree Services, we want to ensure that your precious trees are well taken care of. To maintain the health of your trees, being equipped with the knowledge of what to do with dead branches will keep your trees healthy and beautiful for the years to come. So, should you cut the dead branches from your trees? Keep reading to learn more.
How to Spot a Dead or Dying Tree Branch
Though it might seem obvious if a tree branch is dead or dying, dead branches can be tough to spot. Perhaps you picture a darkened branch amongst the vibrancy of a full canopy and a strong tree trunk. Or maybe you picture a dead branch as thin as a twig on a sapling. The truth is that dead branches on trees and shrubs can sometimes blend in seamlessly with healthy growth, making it hard to tell if a branch on the tree is dead or dying.
Furthermore, winter is an especially difficult season to determine if the branch is dead or dormant. Even during the growing season, a tree branch could appear dead, but it’s alive and well. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at common signs that indicate that there are dead branches on your trees:
- Fungal growth and decay on a tree’s trunk or branches
- Pest damage under the tree trunk or branch
- Falling branches, leaves, and twigs
- Dry, shrivelled buds on the branch
- The inner bark of the limbs or branches is dry and brittle
It’s important to note that if multiple dead branches make up the tree, you shouldn’t climb or rest near it. The branches are brittle and break easily when interfered with. If you’re unsure if the entire tree is alive or dead, call upon a local arborist to come and inspect it for you. The arborist will be able to tell you if the tree needs to be removed or if it can be treated to promote healthy growth.
Why Do Tree Branches Die?
Now that you’ve learned how to identify dead branches on your trees, you may be wondering why they’ve died in the first place. While it is true that limbs die due to natural growth patterns, tree branches can die in Alberta for a variety of reasons. Let’s take a look at six of those common reasons:
- Extreme weather conditions: Rapid drops in temperature are nothing new for Albertans and, for the most part, nothing new for the native trees. However, extreme temperature drops can cause the water inside the branches to freeze, making them brittle and prone to breaking. Then, sudden warm spells followed by freezing can also stress trees through frost heaving.
- Drought stress: As cold as it is in January, Albertan summers can be very dry, causing your lawn to turn brown and your trees to encounter drought stress, causing dead branches on your trees.
- Disease: There are several diseases that can affect Alberta trees and, therefore, lead to dead tree branches. There is the Armillaria Root Rot, a fungal disease that can induce sapwood decay and kill trees or the branches of trees. Additionally, Fireblight is a bacterial disease that can cause branch dieback, particularly in fruit trees.
- Salt injury: Road salt spray can cause needles to brown from the tips downward, leading to dead branches on evergreens.
- Nutrient deficiencies: If your trees lack iron chlorosis and micronutrients, they can cause needles to brown prematurely and branch dieback.
- Improper pruning techniques: Tree trimming live branches during spring or summer can induce quite a lot of stress on your trees and even make room for disease and pests to infiltrate the tree.
Pruning Dead Branches From Trees
So, to answer the question, “Should I cut dead branches off my tree?” the short answer is yes. To make way for new growth and to leave room for living branches to thrive, it’s important to prune dead branches. Furthermore, pruning trees with dead branches is a safety precaution many property owners should be aware of. Falling branches can wreck your vehicle but also harm your own physical well-being. If it’s time to prune your trees, but you don’t have the skills or tools to do so, you can always count on a local arborist to take care of this aspect of tree care.
The best time for removing dead branches from a tree is in the dormant seasons. However, you can cut diseased branches from the tree’s canopy at any time. Let’s take a look at proper pruning techniques that will still maintain tree health and encourage new growth:
- Inspect branches regularly: Identify the broken branch or twig that needs to be removed.
- Make a clean cut: Cut just outside the branch’s collar so it can heal properly.
- Reach out for professional help: Hire an arborist if you need expert advice or assistance with tree pruning.
Maintain Your Tree’s Health With Trusty Tree Services
Removing dead branches from your trees is crucial to caring for them. To maintain healthy branches and, therefore, healthy trees, it’s important to regularly inspect your trees for any signs of decay or damage. At Trusty Tree Services, we’re as concerned about the well-being of your trees as you are, which is why we offer a range of services dedicated to ensuring your trees thrive year-round.
If you have any questions regarding the health of your trees, we encourage you to contact us today or give us a call at 780-860-5500.