Trimming trees can help maintain a healthy and safe outdoor environment and improve your landscape’s aesthetics. With the right timing and technique, it’s possible to achieve strong and visually appealing results. However, if done incorrectly or at an inappropriate time, it could cause permanent damage to your trees.
So, when is the best time to trim trees? In this brief guide, the leading provider of tree trimming and pruning in Knoxville explains what you need to know about tree trimming season to keep your trees healthy and beautiful.
Why Late Winter Is the Best Time to Prune Trees
From keeping warm indoors to exploring outdoor activities, winter presents plenty of things to do, no matter your interests or lifestyle. It is also an excellent time to prune and shape trees and shrubs because plants usually go dormant in cold weather.
Deciduous trees shed their leaves during this season, so there is less distraction, making it easier to visualize your tree’s branch structure. Pruning in late winter is especially advisable as it ensures that wounds left after removing dead and diseased branches are only exposed for short periods before fresh growth begins.
This limited exposure helps the wound from removing a diseased or dead branch begin to heal quickly. Pruning in the late winter also helps prevent certain diseases. For example, pruning oaks between November and March helps prevent Oak Wilt disease.
Avoid pruning your oak trees between April and October. Likewise, the best time to trim apple trees is between February and late April. Pruning in spring or summer increases the risk of infection, while pruning in fall or early winter may cause growth problems the next season.
It’s critical to remove the unwanted tree branches before the temperatures rise. You don’t want to cut into new growth. Late winter, early-spring pruning helps trees utilize all their valuable energy to produce healthy, fresh growth once the weather gets warm.
Trees Not to Trim in Late Winter
While asking, “When is the best time to trim trees?” is important, you should also ask, “Which trees should you not trim in late winter?”
Late winter trimming can be unhealthy for certain trees and shrubs. It’s best to prune some trees and shrubs after blooming in the spring or summer.
Early trimming may destroy or remove buds, significantly reducing the number of flowers appearing during blooming. If a shrub or tree blooms in the spring, avoid trimming it until the flowers fade.
For example, redbud, crabapple, and magnolia are some trees that you shouldn’t trim in late winter.
Contact Your Local Tree Experts for Assistance
When is the best time to trim trees? If you are still trying to figure out the right answer regarding your specific trees, our experts at Pro Tree Knoxville can help. We offer a wide range of services, including:
- Tree trimming & pruning
- Tree removal
- Forestry mulching & mowing
- Tree fertilization & health care
- Emergency tree services
Contact us at (865) 294-0062 for a free estimate for trimming and any other tree service in Knoxville.