When to do your tree pruning
The Belle River Horticultural Society in Ontario has some guidelines as to when you should do your tree pruning. This depends on why you want to do the pruning.
If you want to remove dead wood, a little light pruning can be done at any time. Otherwise it is usually best to prune your trees in the winter; if you want to encourage a burst of growth when spring arrives. It is best to wait until the coldest parts of the season have passed, sat February or March depending on which latitude your tree is located. This is done so that pruning takes place before trees start to bloom and are still dormant but after cold damage can damage the trees around the cuts.
Some flowering trees should wait for pruning until after flowering. The rule of thumb is for trees that bloom in the spring, prune after the flowers fade. For trees that bloom in late summer, prune in winter or early spring.
Summer pruning is sometimes done when your purpose is to direct or reduce the growth of your tree. This is particularly useful in stopping the growth of branches. Pruning in the summer cuts down on the amount of leaves, thus reducing the flow of nutrients to the tree roots. Summer pruning is also great for removing defective limbs or limbs that hang down too low. The pruning should take place after the seasonal growth period has completed.
You should avoid pruning your trees if at all possible during the fall. This is because decay fungi spread their spores profusely in the fall and healing of wounds seems to be slower as a result.
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