How To Trim An Evergreen Tree's Branches So It Doesn't Appear Lopsided

Evergreen trees are funny things. They will grow every which way, with some branches misshapen and others too long or too short for their position on the trunk. Most tree trimming services will examine an evergreen to make sure it does not have a disease that is causing this problem, and then they will approach the trimming job in the following ways.

Trim Back the Overly Long and Out-Of-Place Branches

The overly long and out-of-place branches need to be trimmed back. You have to find the junctions where the branch would look most natural after it is clipped. Then cut the main line of the branch at an angle so that the greenery sticking out at the very top of the cut ends up looking like the natural end of the branch. As this part of the evergreen heals from the cut, the greenery at the tip may very well grow into the position of the end tip of the branch. NEVER lop the entire awkward branch off as it will leave a big hole in its place.

Trim the Longer Branches That Surround Short Branches

Using the above method for really long branches, trim the branches surrounding an unusually short branch. This helps the short branch appear as though it is perfectly normal in its place, and may even encourage all of the branches on this part of the tree to grow at a more even pace simultaneously. The tree will direct its food sources and nutrients to the trimmed branches for healing while giving more food and water to the shorter branch.

Shaping the Tips of the Evergreen Tree

The tips of evergreens grow in lots of funky ways. Anything that curls backward points too high, or dips down should be lopped off completely. Then prune the tips to resemble triangles with the tips pointing outward, or prune them to resemble palm fronds, depending on the type of evergreen. Shaping them in this way gives the tree a more uniform appearance.

If You Are Not Sure You Want to Give Evergreen Tree Trimming a Whirl...

Tree trimming and pruning is not a skill for everyone. If you are particularly anxious about doing this, there are plenty of tree trimming companies that are willing to do it for you. In fact, you can even watch someone do the job firsthand, just to see how it is done, and then maybe you will want to give it a try another day.

Contact a company like County Tree Service for more information and assistance. 

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