How Do You Trim An Oak Tree To Stop Its Limbs From Growing Over Your Roof?
If you have an oak tree on your property with limbs growing towards your roof, you may want to consider trimming it. Oak limbs can become very heavy, and they can cause serious damage to your roof if they break off in a storm. Trimming your tree properly will help it stop growing away from your home instead of towards your roof, keeping your roof safe. To learn how you can trim your oak tree to direct its growth away from your roof, read on.
Only Prune During the Winter
Regardless of the reason you're pruning your tree, you should only prune oak trees in the winter. If you trim an oak tree at other times of the year, the sap that leaks from the cut will attract insects. Insects can spread a disease called oak wilt, and oak wilt can be fatal for trees. You can avoid introducing oak wilt to your tree by limiting your trimming to the winter months.
Trim Branches Leading Towards Your Home
To direct the growth of your oak tree away from your home, you'll need to trim back the branches that are growing towards your roof. You'll also need to trim branches that are growing horizontally towards your home, as they can eventually curl upwards and reach your roof as they grow. Branches that are growing towards the ground should be left alone, as they'll provide stability for the tree. Don't remove too many of the tree's branches at once since this can stress the tree. If you need to trim more, you can wait until next winter.
When you're trimming your tree, make sure that you don't cut into the branch collar at the base of each limb. The wound won't heal properly if you do. Trim the tree as close as possible to the branch collar without cutting into it. The branch collar looks like a slightly thickened area that the limb protrudes from.
Make Sure the Remaining Branches Have Enough Sun
When a tree starts growing in a certain direction (like towards your roof), it's because it knows there's ample sunlight there. Since you're depriving your tree of that sunlight by trimming the branches on one side, you need to make sure that the other side has sufficient access to the sun. If there's another tree covering it with shade, you'll need to trim some of its limbs away.
Overall, the most important thing to keep in mind when you're trying to direct the growth of an oak tree away from your home is that you shouldn't take off too many branches at once. You can always wait to trim more once new growth has come in. Over time, you'll be able to remove all of the limbs that pose a threat to your roof. If you're worried about damaging your tree, call a professional tree trimming service. Professional tree trimmers can prune your oak tree to direct its new growth away from your home without risking any harm to your tree's health.
For more information on professional tree trimming, contact a professional near you.