February and March are good months for pruning some of our woody landscape plants. By now, trees and shrubs are dormant. The ground is also solidly frozen, making it easier to reach branches and remove them. And with the exception of evergreens and oaks, they have dropped their leaves providing a clear view of their structure.
Pruning trees is an essential part of maintaining a healthy aesthetically pleasing landscape. But when is the best time to prune trees? Can you prune trees in winter or should you wait until spring or summer? In this article, we’ll examine the pros and cons of pruning trees in winter so you can make an informed decision.
When to Prune Trees
Most experts agree that late winter is the best time for pruning many tree species The reasons include
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Deciduous trees are dormant so pruning causes less stress.
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With leaves gone, it’s easier to see and evaluate tree structure.
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Pruning cuts heal quickly when growth resumes in spring.
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Fewer disease and insect problems than in summer.
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Pruning can prevent snow or ice damage by removing weak branches.
However, there are some caveats. Avoid pruning maples, birches, walnuts, and other trees that “bleed” heavily when pruned in late winter. Wait until summer when sap flow slows. And don’t prune spring-flowering ornamental trees like cherries, magnolias, and crabapples until after blooming.
Benefits of Winter Tree Pruning
Here are 6 key benefits of dormant season pruning:
1. Improved Visibility
Without leaves in the way, you can clearly see the branching structure and identify problem areas:
- Dead, damaged, and diseased wood
- Crossing/rubbing branches
- Weak branch unions
- Watersprouts and suckers
Your arborist can also more easily evaluate hazards and recommend corrective pruning to reduce risk.
2. Faster Healing
Research shows that pruning wounds heal quicker when cuts are made just before spring growth starts. The tree is able to deploy resources directly to wound closure before insects and disease can gain a foothold.
3. Enhanced Shape
Winter is an excellent time to prune for shape, form, and fruit production if needed. Removing unwanted branches and limbs while the tree is dormant results in a better scaffold for leaves, flowers, and fruits when growth resumes.
4. Reduced Disease Spread
Many serious tree diseases are most active and spread readily during summer months. Pruning during winter dormancy limits the transmission of diseases like oak wilt, elm yellows, and fire blight.
5. Increased Efficiency
Frozen ground allows heavy equipment to be used without damaging lawns or landscape beds. Removals, crown reduction, and major pruning jobs can be performed faster and at lower cost compared to other seasons.
6. Less Stress
Because the tree is dormant and not actively growing, pruning wounds have less impact on overall health. The tree can marshal resources directly to wound closure before insects, disease, and rot can gain a foothold when warmer weather arrives.
When to Avoid Winter Pruning
While dormant season pruning has many advantages, there are some caveats:
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Bleeders: Avoid pruning maples, birches, walnuts, dogwoods, and other heavy sap-producing trees in late winter. Make summer pruning cuts instead.
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Flowering trees: To preserve flower buds, prune spring bloomers like magnolias, crabapples, hawthorns, and cherry trees after flowering.
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Evergreens: Wait until growth starts in spring to prune evergreens like pine, fir, spruce, and juniper.
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Newly planted: Let newly planted trees establish roots before pruning.
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Oaks & elms: To limit oak wilt and Dutch elm disease, prune mid-June through mid-July only.
Tips for Safe Winter Pruning
If pruning trees in winter, keep these tips in mind:
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Choose a mild, sunny day to reduce stress on trees. Avoid extremely cold temps.
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Disinfect tools between trees to prevent disease spread.
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Call an arborist for pruning large trees or those near structures/power lines.
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Wear proper protective gear like safety glasses, ear protection, gloves, etc.
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Check for overhead and underground hazards before cutting.
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Make clean, careful cuts just outside the branch collar. Don’t leave stubs.
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Remove suckers, watersprouts, and any vines in trees.
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Chip, compost, or burn pruned branches promptly to reduce disease risks.
Ask an Arborist First
Before grabbing a saw and lopping off tree limbs on your own, consult an experienced, licensed arborist, especially for mature trees or complex pruning jobs. They can assess your trees, explain benefits/risks of pruning in winter or other seasons, and offer a customized pruning plan for a healthy landscape.
The Takeaway
Winter pruning has many benefits and is recommended for most deciduous trees – just not when they’re actively growing or flowering. To be safe, always match pruning timing to the type of tree and its needs. With proper practices, dormant season pruning can give you healthier, better-shaped trees come spring.
Why we prune plants Examples of good branch cuts. Notice the donut-like ring left after the branch is removed. This is the collar and it is important for healing over the wound.
- We prune to improve plant form.
- Pruning allows for the removal of dead or dying branches as well as branch stubs and branches injured by disease, severe insect infestation, animals, storms, or other mechanical damage.
- Crossing branches tend to rub against each other and develop wounds. These wounds allow for disease and pests to get under bark and into stems, causing issues for the plant down the road.
- Pruning opens up tree canopies, increasing airflow and light to stems and branches.
- More light means more flowers, leaves and fruits.
- More light and air reduce moisture and potential disease caused by bacteria and fungal pathogens.
Late winter is a good time to prune most plants. Because plants and their pests are dormant this time of year, pruning cuts can be made without the risk of pests and pathogens entering the tree through the wound.
What plants can be pruned now? A shrub in need of pruning
- Maple
- Oak
- Elm
- Crabapple, apples
- Hawthorne
- Mountain ash
- Ash
- Butternut and walnut
- Birch
- Beech
- Ironwood
- Linden
Evergreens like spruce, pine and fir rarely require pruning. However, spruce can be pruned in late winter as can arborvitae, juniper, cypress, yews and hemlocks in late winter or early spring. Loosely shear dense evergreens like arborvitae by removing just the newer growth. This allows for light to reach the inside of the plant.
Can you prune trees in winter?
FAQ
What happens if you trim a tree in winter?
Winter pruning helps shape your trees to grow in the manner best for your property — whether that be to avoid interfering with structures or walkways or to …Jan 2, 2019
What temperature is too cold to prune trees?
u trim your trees when the temperature is 60 degrees, and overnight, the temperature drops below freezing, your trees could be damaged.
When should you not prune trees?
The only time that’s not ideal to prune is right before fall – late summer/early fall. Then the tree doesn’t have time to heal and you’re maximizing the time for the exposed cut to be exposed to disease, rot, wind drying, too wet, all winter long, etc. Other than that, prune all year long.
Is it best to prune in winter?
Winter is actually the best time of year to prune your deciduous plants. Wait for a relatively mild, sunny day, get out your pruners, and take a critical look at your trees and shrubs.
How to prune a tree in winter?
Winter pruning shrubs and trees is also best for evergreens. If you are wondering how to prune in winter, here are a few important tips. Wait until late winter to prune. Early winter pruning can dry out the tree in freezing weather. Any pruning in winter should also wait for a dry, mild day.
Why is winter the best time for tree pruning?
Winter is the best time for tree pruning because pruning during dormancy gives trees time to heal from pruning cuts before warmer weather brings out destructive insects and pathogens. Additionally, damaged, dead or dying trees can be dangerous in winter, particularly when we get storms that bring wind, ice or snow.
When should a tree be pruned?
Late winter is a good time to prune most plants. Because plants and their pests are dormant this time of year, pruning cuts can be made without the risk of pests and pathogens entering the tree through the wound. What plants can be pruned now? A shrub in need of pruning Evergreens like spruce, pine and fir rarely require pruning.
Should you cut trees in winter?
Winter is an ideal time to prune, as the lack of leaves on deciduous trees and shrubs enables you to see what you’re doing more clearly. What’s more, since sap is not as active during the winter, cuts are less likely to ‘bleed’, and the tree or shrub sustains less of a shock than being chopped when sap is in full flow.
Should I prune my oak tree in the winter?
Most routine pruning tasks are done for removing infestation or weak and dead branches. Pruning need to know that growth and wound closure is heightened when pruning is done in the winters. This will help with the spring growth spurt. Wounds from pruning can often spread diseases. Oak trees, for instance, can sometimes suffer from oak wilt.
Do trees & shrubs need to be pruned in winter?
Deciduous trees and shrubs lose their leaves and go dormant in winter, making it a good time for pruning. While winter pruning works well for many trees and shrubs, it isn’t the best time for all of them. If you are wondering what to prune in winter, read on. We’ll tell you which trees and shrubs do best with winter pruning and which ones don’t.