Homeowners perform pruning to keep their trees healthy and beautiful year-round. It's something you should plan for every few years. Consider a couple of tactics if you're about to go forward with it yourself. 

Be Smart About Safety

If you don't have a lot of experience with tree pruning, then make sure you review proper safety protocols before cutting into any branch or limb around your property. The more informed you are about safety matters, the less likely something goes wrong and you get hurt.

First, take your time to assess potential hazards around the tree that you plan to prune. It might be utility lines, for example. Also, do your best to plan out where large branches will drop. Make sure no one is in the way before you finish your cuts. 

Lastly, evaluate the strength of the tree limb that you plan to stand on. It should be strong enough to support your weight. If it's not, get a ladder or scaffold. 

Remove Weak Branches in a Cluster

Some tree species have areas where branches form in a cluster. Such growth can hinder larger branches from developing correctly and lead to health issues later on. It's thus essential to remove any weak branches that form the cluster.

They don't add any value to the tree, so cutting them down won't lead to negative consequences. Using a sharp cutting tool, you can conveniently remove weak branches that have grown too close together.

Cut to Make Trees Look Great 

Although tree pruning is primarily done to keep trees healthy, you can still perform it for aesthetic reasons. You should really take some time to consider optimal tree aesthetics before you cut branches to make them look a certain way. 

When pruning for aesthetics, it helps to look at pictures of the same tree species you plan to cut. Examine the overall shape and direction of the pictured branches and then refine your cutting strategies accordingly. Make these assessments with each tree, and you'll be happy with the visuals that pruning leaves behind. 

If you have a tree that's grown considerably over the last couple of years, consider pruning it to keep it healthy. You don't need to be a tree care professional to complete pruning. As long as you know where to cut and with what, tree pruning will be an activity you can perform every couple of years and eventually master.  

Contact a professional to learn more about tree pruning.