When should I prune my tree?

If you don’t know the answer to this question, don’t feel bad because you are not alone. You would be surprised to learn that many people are not sure of when the right time to prune their trees is. In this article, Trees of Carolina provides an easy guide for proper tree pruning in order to maintain your trees strong, thriving and beautiful!

Pruning your trees depends largely on why you prune in the first place. For example, light pruning and removal of dead wood can be done at any time. However, considering the different seasons and recognizing that there is a variety of species of trees is important because all trees are unique and may have specific needs. Take a look at the following guide:

 

Pruning Flowering Trees to Enhance Flowering

If you are pruning your tree for the purpose of enhancing flowering, keep the following in mind!

• Shrubs and trees that flower in mid to late summer should be pruned in winter or early spring.
• If you have trees that bloom in spring, prune them when their flowers fade.

 

Summer Pruning

One of the reasons for pruning trees in the summer is for corrective purposes; for example, defective limbs or limbs that hang down too far under the weight of their leaves can be seen more easily.

Pruning should be done soon after their seasonal growth is complete in order to slow or “dwarf” the development of a tree or branch, or to direct the growth of the tree by slowing the branches you don’t want. The reason you would want the slow effect is to reduce the total leaf surface, therefore reducing the amount of food manufactured and sent to the roots.

 

Winter Pruning

One of the most common practices is to prune during dormancy (the winter season). This is because doing so results in a vigorous burst of new growth in the spring. Prune your tree if this is the effect you desire, just make sure to wait until the coldest part of the winter has passed. Keep in mind that some species of trees may “bleed” (when the sap begins to flow), such as walnuts, birches and maples. This is not harmful at all; the bleeding will stop once the tree leafs out.

 

When Not To Prune Your Tree

It is not recommended to prune your trees during the fall season because decay fungi will spread their spores profusely in the fall. Also, healing of wounds seem to slow in the fall therefore, it is probably best to store your pruning tools away during this time of year.

 

These are the basics of tree pruning, pretty simple right? Follow this guide and you will be sure to have beautiful and healthy trees! If you would like more information about proper pruning or if you are interested in our tree services, please contact us. Trees of Carolina is always happy to provide you with a free estimate and/or schedule an appointment with you!