Can I Prune My Tree Myself, or Should I Hire an Arborist?
Pruning your trees is essential for developing a tree with a robust structure and aesthetically pleasing form. If you prune your trees correctly as they grow, they will require far less maintenance and be healthier as they mature.
Many homeowners in Edmonton need to prune their trees and often ask the question, “Can I prune my trees, or should I hire an Arborist?”
The quick answer is, Hire an Arborist; do not prune your trees yourself. When it comes to pruning your trees, it can be dangerous, you could damage your trees, and you likely do not have the right equipment to do the job. Proper pruning requires significant skill. Hire an ISA Certified Arborist who has good reviews and gets the results you expect from a professional.
Learn more about Common Tree Diseases in Edmonton
Top 4 Reasons to Hire an ISA Certified Arborist to Prune Your Trees in Edmonton
- Ensure your trees are healthy
- Professional Training, Service, and Insurance
- Proper Arborist Equipment
- Your Safety
1. Ensure your Trees are healthy
Tree pruning can be a traumatic experience for a tree. It can lead to permanent damage or even the tree’s death if done incorrectly. A professional Arborist knows how to prune each species of tree, where to prune them and how much.
Tree disease can often be a problem that a certified Arborist can quickly spot and remedy. It is essential to check the health of your trees periodically.
If you want peace of mind regarding your trees, hire an arborist.
2. Professional training, service and insurance
Earning an ISA Certified Arborist credential requires three years of practical experience or a degree in arboriculture, horticulture, landscape architecture, or forestry from a regionally accredited educational institute.
An exam then must be passed to ensure the Arborist has the skills and knowledge needed. An ISA designation ensures you are in good hands regarding your Arborist.
Most homeowners have a list of tasks they need to do around the house that they will get to “later.” By hiring a professional, the job gets done on time!
Professional tree service companies maintain commercial insurance in the event something goes wrong. If a tree falls and damages your house, the last thing you want is to pay out of pocket for it! Hiring a professional makes sure you are covered!
3. Proper Arborist equipment
Having the right equipment for large dangerous jobs is essential if you want to prevent injury or keep your property from damage. Professional arborist equipment includes tree cranes, shears, tree mulchers, stump removers, large trucks to haul off branches and much more.
There aren’t many homeowners with a tree crane sitting around their backyard waiting for the day they need to trim a high branch! By hiring a professional, you get the right equipment for the job.
4. Your Safety
Safety should be the number 1 concern of any homeowner. The last thing you want is a severe injury doing something like pruning the trees in your backyard!
The most common injuries associated with working on trees are:
- Falling
- Cuts, scrapes and bruises
- Being struck by falling branches or trees
- Eye injuries
- Electrocution
Hiring a professional will ensure you don’t get hurt or even killed by falling out of your tree.
It just makes sense to hire an Arborist to prune your trees.
