When to prune trees?

The best time to prune a tree is when you will cause it the least amount of stress.

A decidua tree (with leaves that fall off in the fall) is dormant in the winter so this is the time that will cause the least amount of stress to the tree. When it wakes up in the spring it will not expend energy into limbs that were cut off.

Most people think spring is the time to prune. But the truth is most trees will begin to put energy into buds as warm up spells happen earlier at the beginning of the year. This is when the tree would have put stored reserves into limbs that you then cut off. So in the deep cold of winter is the time to prune.

So why don't more people prune in the winter...well it is cold and uncomfortable. Which means you need to dress for that weather. I wear Gore-Tex that breaths, but keep it on once you start because it will make you wet with sweat.

The other thing to keep in mind is that you should not prune below freezing. If the branch is frozen you will shatter the cambium as you cut the tissue and leave a ragged cut that will not heal as well.

Here is a good video on winter pruning.

You can prune your own trees

As a certified arborist, I spend a great deal of my time explaining basic tree pruning to home owners.

The truth is you can do a lot of your own pruning and save thousands of dollars over the years.

Pruning a little bit every year is healthier for the tree and easier to maintain.

It is actually much easier for a home owner than a professional tree pruner because once you know what you are doing to your few trees, you will be doing the same thing year after year and not have to know every species or type of tree out there.

Pruning comes down to these basic steps:

1. Identify your tree species; this is important because the time of year you prune will be contingent upon what type of tree it is.

2. Understand the basic tree biology to help you make decisions on what limbs to keep and which should go. This will also help you know how to encourage wound healing and tree health.

3. Go through the five step pruning decision process.

4. Know where to prune the tree to help it heal and direct it's growth.

5. Know how to water, fertilize and care for the tree after pruning.

You will have a Tree Log (binder that keeps notes to use year after year on the tree) so you do not have to re-learn everything from year to year.