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Yes, it’s okay to trim low branches on a tree, also known as limbing up or raising the crown. Essentially, you’ll trim the lower third of the tree (trunk) and leave the upper two-thirds of the tree (crown). Arborists recommend trimming 20% of a tree’s leaves per season for two to three seasons. Trimming low branches allows light to flow through the tree, increasing circulation and making the tree stronger and healthier.

According to scientists at Penn State University, spotted lanternflies do not typically kill the trees and plants they feed on, but they can cause branches and segments to die off. However, they have been found to kill cultivated grapes, which can have devastating consequences for vineyard owners and regions that heavily rely on vineyards to create jobs and generate revenue. They have also killed the Ailanthu altissima, known as the tree of heaven, though this is classified as a noxious and invasive weed tree.

The best time to trim trees is in late fall through winter when the tree has slowed its growing for the year. Cold weather stops insects and fungal growth from attacking a new tree wound. Summer and fall are considered the worst times to trim trees, but it’s permissible in certain scenarios, such as tree disease, damaged branches, or small, aesthetic cuts.

It takes anywhere from three to seven years for a stump to decompose on its own. This timeframe can depend on the kind of tree and your climate. The lower to the ground the stump is, the faster it rots. If you kill a tree stump with salt, boiling water, herbicide, light deprivation, or burning, the tree stump decomposes faster.