When to Prune Your Tree for most Sustainable Growth:
So, wondering when to prune your tree? Here are short and mid length answers…
Short answer is prune in Late Winter before buds open.
Okay, but sometimes winter sucks! Are there exceptions?
-After late winter, the most commonly excepted time to prune is in early to mid summer
-Some species can be pruned any time, mostly certain evergreens
-Oaks should ONLY be pruned in winter in this area (see Oak Wilt)
-Flowering trees and shrubs should be pruned after flowering (Otherwise reduces flowers)
Some of the reasoning behind the answers:
Shoots lengthen early in the growing season
Stems begin to thicken (and close wounds) mostly after shoots are done lengthening. Later spring/early summer.
Fungi are most active spring and fall (wet)
Sap bleeding from unhealed wounds from dormant pruning though sometimes shocking to see, generally isn’t sufficient to cause the tree harm.
Trimming late winter means less time for frost to damage open wounds before the tree begins to heal in the spring. This isn’t as big a deal in protected areas.
Many resilient, low risk trees we simply prune when we can, usually summer… This is because although it is not the ideal time, it is within the trees toleration to be trimmed at that point.