The best time to prune depends greatly on what you desire from your trees and plants!
However, it is important to note that removal of dying, diseased, broken, or dead limbs can be accomplished at any time with little negative effect on trees and plants.
Growth can be maximized on oaks for example (deciduous plants and trees that have leaves that fall in winter) if live-branch pruning is done just before growth resumes in early spring. Disease can be prevented if these types of plants are cut in a dormant state. A few tree pathogens, such as the oak wilt fungus, may be spread if pruning wounds are made when the pathogen vectors are active. It is always good to check with your arborist if any disease is present.
Sap drippings on trees such as maples (Acer spp.) and birches (Betula spp.)are common if cut in spring when sap flow is heavy. Although seen as unattractive by some, this has little negative effect on the tree, but can be minimized if cut in the summer time!
Flowering can be prevented or enhanced by pruning at the appropriate time of the year. To retain the most flowers on landscape trees that bloom on current season’s growth, such as crape-myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) or linden (Tilia spp.), these trees are pruned in winter, prior to leaf emergence, or in the summer just after bloom. Plants that bloom on last season’s wood, such as Prunus, should be pruned just after bloom in order to preserve the flower display. Fruit trees can be pruned during the dormant season to enhance structure and distribute fruiting wood, and they are pruned after bloom to thin fruit.
Trees that drip sap when pruned in late winter/early spring.
| Avocado Birch Cottonwood Elm Flowering dogwood |
Hackberry Honeylocust Magnolia Maple Mesquite |
Poplar Silk-oak Walnut Willow |
