Now is the Time to Shape and Strengthen Crape Myrtle & Fruit Trees

Crape myrtles and fruit trees can have a happy home in Georgia with our toasty summers and softer winters. While low-maintenance crape myrtles bring the color, fruit trees – think peaches, apples, pears, and more – can deliver popping produce. But they both require proper care.

When Should I Prune Crape Myrtle and Fruit Trees?

What’s the best time to prune trees in Georgia? When it comes to pruning crape myrtle and fruit trees, the Peach State has a winter window. Premier Tree Solutions suggests late January through February as prime time for pruning.

Since leaves have fallen, professionals get the best possible vantage point of a tree’s skeleton, and a better idea on how to approach pruning. And pruning during a tree’s dormancy period reduces the risk of sap loss and stress before spring arrives and the growth flush begins.

How do you shape and strengthen crape myrtle and fruit trees with pruning? Premier Tree Solutions suggests the following:

Crape Myrtle Trimming in Georgia

Have you ever noticed crape myrtle trees that have been reduced to unsightly stubs? That’s likely due to topping, an often harmful and indiscriminate pruning method caused by cutting the top of a tree’s main branches or trunk back to stubs. This harms the tree’s natural shape, creates knuckles, weakens branches, and amps up the risk of disease. Aggressive pruning, based on the myth that crape myrtles need pruning to flower, is sometimes known as “crape murder.”

According to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, the most aesthetically pleasing crape myrtle trees typically result from limited or no pruning. However, proper pruning can give way to stems that are strong enough to carry the weight of summer blooms. The following are recommended steps to proper crape myrtle pruning:

  • Remove suckers from the base of the plant.
  • As the tree grows, remove lower branches from the bottom third of the tree, which exposes the trunk.
  • Finally, check the canopy for any crossing or crowded branches and remove them.

Fruit Trees: Shaping for a Bountiful Harvest

Georgia’s favorite fruit trees need to get in shape, literally. Pruning and training help make it a reality by improving airflow, which combats Peach State humidity. Techniques differ depending on the variety. In general, apple, pecan, and pear trees benefit from central leader or Christmas tree-style pruning, while peach, nectarine, and plum trees are best served with an open center or cereal bowl pruning approach. Other varieties call for different cuts. However, no matter which variety grows on your grounds, the first step is always removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood.

The Gwinnett County Extension Service offers the following fruit tree pruning guide compiled from various University of Georgia publications.

Premier Tree Solutions: Your Crape Myrtle and Fruit Tree Pruning Pros

Considering crape myrtle or fruit tree pruning services? Premier Tree Solutions have the professional equipment and expert knowledge to help shape and strengthen your crape myrtle and fruit trees, allowing them to thrive come spring and summer. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.

Property Health Check: Why a Tree Inspection Sets the Tone for the Whole Year

Trees play an important role as part of your property. These towering works of natural art can serve as long-term assets, providing lush beauty, shady canopies, and enhanced property value.

However, in order to live their best lives, trees need proper attention. An unseen issue, such as disease or structural weakness, can manifest into a pricey problem. Ignore it, and you’re going out on a limb.

The solution? A professional tree inspection at the beginning of the calendar year helps avoid any potential challenges, while protecting your investment and enhancing the health of your whole landscape.

What is a Tree Inspection?

A tree professional, like those on staff at Premier Tree Solutions, can provide a tree inspection in the form of a comprehensive evaluation. They take a detailed look at a tree’s health, starting with its roots, all the way up to the canopy. How is the tree’s root flare? Is its trunk stable? What about branch structure? These and other questions help provide answers to best serve your tree and your property at large. According to Purdue University, tree inspections should take place, at a minimum, every five years. An annual investment in a tree inspection, however, is a seed well planted.

Catching Problems Early and Playing it Safe

The primary goal of a tree inspection is to detect issues as soon as possible and keep your trees, as well as everything that surrounds them, safe. To mitigate potential hazards, inspections attempt to catch any structural weaknesses that may prove risky when a tree faces severe weather. Inspectors keep an eye out for decay, hidden cracks, weak branch connections, and other telltale signs. The University of Florida offers a detailed look at tree risk assessment.

Catching disease and or pest problems out of the gate can be crucial when it comes to saving a tree. Damage can spread quickly, so nipping these issues in the bud allows for more effective treatment. Professionals know what to look for, and a close examination is essential. Once major damage becomes clearly apparent, it may be too late to save a tree. Inspectors hunt for things such as chew marks on leaves or branches; holes in the bark; sticky, waxy, or cottony material on tree limbs; a thin canopy; dead branches; and more.

Letting Your Investment Grow

A professional tree inspection continues your investment in the trees lining your property, bolstering their health into the future. Inspections help promote the longevity and vigor of trees by correcting any negative effects caused by environmental factors, such as soil or root issues.

A tree inspection report provides the owner with a plan on how to best care for the tree throughout the year. This could include pruning suggestions, when to fertilize, and additional helpful guidance. Taking advised action after a tree inspection helps preserve property value. Dying trees can put a damper on property value, while well-maintained trees can often allow property value to blossom by boosting curb appeal, increasing energy efficiency, preventing real estate hurdles, and more.

Premier Tree Solutions Can Inspect Your Trees

Looking to avoid a tree challenge before it arises? Invest in the trees adorning your property by having Premier Tree Solutions provide a tree inspection. Call 404-252-6448 or schedule a complimentary assessment online.