Tree Pruning 101: What Is Crown Thinning?

Here’s a question we get asked a lot: Is there just one way to prune a tree? The quick answer is no. From crown reduction and crown thinning to crown cleaning and crown raising, tree pruning is very much a science — an art form where every cut means something and is determined by what your tree needs at any given time. 

We will eventually go into more detail about each of these in a separate blog, but for the purposes of today’s post, we are choosing to focus on crown thinning. Specifically, what it is, when it’s used, and how it benefits your trees and property.

What Is Crown Thinning?

Tree pruning includes removing dead, diseased, hanging, or weak branches. Many homeowners can spot these and eliminate the ones closest to the ground. But to be effective, tree maintenance should be done regularly during non-growing seasons (June 1-February 15) by one of our ISA-certified arborists. You should also choose the right tree pruning method for the job.

With crown thinning, in particular, you are reducing weight on heavier limbs and drag caused by heavy winds by selectively removing inner branches along the top of the tree — also called the tree’s crown. A few benefits include:

  • Maintain health and beauty of a tree
  • Allow more sunlight to travel through the crown
  • Balanced air circulation
  • Avoid altering the tree’s natural shape
  • Deter disease and insect infestation
  • Reduce chance of falling branches

This year, we’ve done more crown thinning than any other pruning method. And the reason is simple: lots of stormy weather and dying sod. Even though our area has been in a drought, and storms were few and far between, the wind can still cause wreckage to our North Texas trees. Many trees suffer extensive damage in even a moderate wind storm because they are too top-heavy.  A thinner crown (or top) permits more air to pass through so that the tree can be more resistant to storms.  

Once a tree takes a beating and is considerably damaged, the chances that it will thrive diminish. Performing crown thinning earlier in the process makes a tree more sustainable in our crazy and unpredictable Texas weather.  

You Deserve a Nice Yard!

Many homeowners take pride in their nicely manicured lawns. Parents want their children to have a soft and cushiony yard to play in. When trees block the much needed sunlight trying to reach the ground, grass begins to dry up and die. This makes the lawn look tired, brown, and not very inviting. Crown thinning opens up the tree to generate more light penetration so grass can grow. This also helps improve the airflow within the tree, which aids in keeping fungus and diseases away!  

Crown thinning is a great way to maintain the health and beauty of your trees without altering the naturalness or aesthetics of your landscape. Give Clean Edge a call for a free quote on tree pruning or any other services we offer!  

Clean Edge Tree Service Should Be Your First Call Every Time for Pruning … 

When you search “tree service near me” or “tree service Denton” for your residential and commercial tree service needs, Clean Edge Tree Service & Removal in Denton, TX, should be your first call every time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a giant oak tree that needs a few branches trimmed back, a stubborn stump you’ve been wanting to get rid of for years, a tree that fell on top of a nearby car, house, or business, or something in between. We do it all — expertly, efficiently, and with the cleanest edge you’ve ever seen. More than just being a tree cutter and mindlessly hacking off a few tree limbs here and there with a chainsaw and hoping for the best, every cut we make has a purpose. We can utilize our CMC 83 Arbor Lift, chipper, or stump grinder to breeze through projects some tree removal companies simply can’t or don’t want to handle. 

Our Arbor Lift, in particular, is specifically designed for arborists and allows us to tackle any project. But even if the lift isn’t appropriate for your tree service needs, that’s OK because we are pros at tree climbing.

Just a few benefits of calling us today include:

  • Work directly with the owner on every tree job
  • Responsiveness and fast scheduling
  • We can handle any size tree
  • Full-scope tree service and removal (no job is too big or too small)
  • We leave your property cleaner than we found it

Call Clean Edge Tree Service & Removal Today!

We know you have options when it comes to your tree service and removal needs. Clean Edge Tree Service & Removal in Denton, TX, is family-owned and operated and has served Denton and surrounding areas since 2016. More importantly, we have the equipment, experience, and technical know-how to safely and efficiently handle any tree and residential or commercial scenario — from a downed tree in the middle of a storm to trimming a few branches, stump grinding, and removing trees that tower 83 feet in the air.

There isn’t a tree in Denton that we can’t handle. Call Clean Edge Tree Service & Removal today!