What time of year is best to prune a tree?

As a rule, light summer pruning can be done on most deciduous trees and shrubs. A more intense pruning should be carried out when the tree is inactive, preferably in late winter before active growth begins. For some reason, many people believe that pruning trees in autumn is the perfect time of year, especially when there are four seasons. Glossy leaves begin to fall, and some large branches look a little doubtful.

But that assumption could damage your precious trees or even kill them even mature trees. It's also a good time to prune trees and shrubs. Because trees stay dormant when it's cold, winter is the ideal time to prune and shape them. No leaves, there's less on the way.

This makes it easy to visualize the structure of the branches of a tree. It is vital to perform this task before the weather warms up, so as not to reduce growth. Late winter and early spring pruning helps trees sink all of their precious energy to produce healthy new growth once the climate warms up. At any time between late autumn and early spring, it is better to prune or prune trees.

In general, after the leaves fall and before the flowers appear, it is the ideal window. There is never a bad time to remove dead, damaged or diseased branches. But most trees benefit from pruning in the middle or late winter. Pruning during dormancy encourages new growth as soon as the weather starts to warm.

The lack of leaves after autumn allows you to easily identify branches and branches that require removal. Trees are still dormant at this time of year and unlike early winter, wound closure will be rapid if pruning occurs just before new growth emerges. The best time to prune the limbs is late winter or early spring. This allows maximum closure of the wound during the growing season and the reduction of disease transmission.

Keep in mind that some tree species have a habit of bleeding when the sap is rising in early spring and pruning would be better done at another time (i.e., pruning in late winter ensures that fresh wounds are only exposed for a short period of time before the new one starts growth, which helps the wound not to be pruned begin to heal faster. Most routine pruning is done to eliminate infestation, weak, dead or diseased branches, and can be completed at any time of the year with little effect on the tree. Hello, it's mid-November in upstate New York and I have a burning bush too big that I'm very tempted to prune. Tree branches are pruned for multiple reasons, all of which result in a better-looking, better-yielding tree.

To prune shorter trees yourself, look for tree clippers with long reach poles so you can keep your own feet safely on the ground. Tree pruning in summer is not a popular option, but sometimes it can be beneficial if done with caution. Shrubs that are grown primarily for their foliage rather than for their striking flowers should be pruned in the spring before growth begins. Although many gardeners would rather never deal with the disaster of falling leaves, I enjoy this time as an opportunity to inspect every treetop.

Prune branches sticking out of homes, parking areas, sidewalks, and any place where limbs that fall could injure people or damage property. Although I like to do my pruning plan in autumn, I always wait a few months before I really start pruning. Keep in mind that some tree species have a habit of bleeding when sap is rising in early spring and pruning would be better done at another time (i. Most deciduous trees need to be pruned in late fall through winter, according to the Extension Service's Wisconsin Horticulture division).

Wood said that although some elm, maple, birch and walnut trees can visibly exude sap if pruned in late winter or early spring, this should not harm the tree. Fiskars clippers come with ergonomic handles and patented gear technology that provides up to 3x more power to cut stems and branches up to ¾ thick. .