If you are a fairly new homeowner, you may not be sure about the best ways to manage the trees on your property. It's important that you understand how and when to trim the trees so that you don't overlook important issues nor inadvertently damage your trees. Here are a few things to watch for that indicate your trees may need trimming.

Damaged Branches

If any of the branches on your trees are visibly damaged, such as being cracked or broken, it's important that you have them trimmed. This is vital for several reasons, including the fact that broken and cracked branches are vulnerable to disease and pest infestation. Those types of problems can spread, infecting the entire tree. In addition, those branches become weaker, which makes them a vulnerability if there is a heavy storm. Wind can turn those branches into projectiles if they break loose from the tree.

Branches Growing Into Each Other

If you've recently acquired the property, or you haven't been good about tree care in general, there's a good chance that some of the branches have grown extensively. If that happens, they may actually cross with other branches as they grow. That can put the branches at risk of rubbing together, which creates openings in the bark. Those openings are a weak point where pests and parasites can infect the tree, causing serious, and sometimes unrecoverable, damage.

Dense Canopy

While you want the canopy of your trees to be full, there is a fine line between full and dense. When the canopy is so dense that you can't really see where one branch ends and the next begins, that can inhibit the sunlight from shining down and reaching the tree the way that it needs to thrive. That's why it is important to keep the canopy trimmed well so that it stays full but doesn't become so overgrown that sunlight cannot get through.

Encroachment Issues

As your trees grow, there's always the concern that they could ultimately encroach on the power lines in the area, or even on your home or garage. In addition, be cautious of trees that are growing over your driveway, especially if you park your car there. Any time you see branches that are starting to encroach in any of these areas, it is in your best interest to have them trimmed for safety's sake.

Talk with a local tree trimming service in your area for any more information or for a thorough evaluation of the trees on your property.