Scenic Trees At The Cottage, Chalet And Home - What Is The Best Time To Prune And Maintain?

uestion is often asked as to when be the rightyour yard. Trees that tend to lose sap can be
and correct time to “prune” yourbest be pruned when they are at their fully leafed
trees? This is always a topical and highly relevantstate later in the spring or summer season.
important question when it comes to the topic ofThe third factor to consider is the presence of
tree care – for your yard and gardeninsect pests and disease. Some trees may be
landscaping – whether it is your city housemade more susceptible to these problems when
or rural cottage or chalet.you injure them by pruning. For this reason,
When considering the timeliness of pruning onespecies like elm and oak should only be pruned
must consider various factors. The correct timingwhen dormant, which is typically after their leaves
is not always when it is easiest and mostfall and into mild winter. In many jurisdictions,
convenient for the landscape artist or technician.there are prohibitions on pruning elms and oaks
The first factor to consider is that every pruningduring their growing seasons.
cut on a living branch is a direct insult and injuryGenerally most flowering trees can be pruned
to that plant is it tree, bush or shrub. Theseright after they flower to allowing new flower
wounds take away energy from the plants vitalbuds to set. Pruning these trees too late can
stores and reserves. Pruning wounds will causeresult in poor flowing response the following
the tree to use energy to contain the decay thatgrowing season year.
is caused by injuring the tree and as well in theIt has been found that with many deciduous
repair process. Nothing is for nothing and so it istrees, the later you wait to prune them, in the
with tree care and growth.. Make it a generalwinter season, the greater the amount of
overall rule to prune only the bare minimumadventitious shoots you will develop the following
amount needed. Experience of millennia ofyear. If you prune these trees later in the season
professional landscapers has shown that pruning– best in fall or late summer you will find
excessively will result in permanent injury to thethat these succulent shoots are less likely to avail
tree or plant trimmed. As well in the futurethemselves in your yard.
increased frequencies of corrective pruning andSpruce trees and most pine trees can be pruned
landscaping will most likely be needed and required.in the spring time when they are generally putting
These later repairs would otherwise may notout new growth. Generally most evergreen
have been required.conifers follow this rule and should not be pruned
The second factor to consider is the actualfrom mid summer until the fall weather cools off.
species of the tree. It is well known that variousFinally, it is important that you’re
trees have different growth patterns that affectlandscaping tools and utensils are sharp and up to
the time of year that you can successfully prunethe job. Cuts larger than ¾ of an inch
the tree. Trees like maple, willow and birch shouldshould be performed with a sharp saw. If the cut
not be pruned late in the year – in theis below ¼ of an inch then the preferred
winter seasons and as well in the early springtimetool are “bypass pruning shears”.
seasons. Pruning willow , maple and birch trees atAll in all, prune your landscape trees, shrubs and
these times will cause them to lose copiousplants correctly and at the appropriate time of
amounts of sap liquid , that while it does slightlythe year for the species of plant.
weaken the trees , will leave a sticky mess in