Being mindful of the season can help your tree have the best chance of health and regrowth after pruning. You may wonder: will pruning a tree in summer kill it? Not necessarily; you just need to take the proper care when doing so. Pro Tree of Knoxville, the leading tree trimming company in Knoxville, TN, explains more about this topic below.
When Can You Prune Trees in Summer?
There is a lot of debate about whether you should avoid pruning trees in summer. Some say you shouldn’t and others that you can as long as you’re careful. We suggest a small trim to remove dead or damaged branches. It may also be possible to trim some fruit trees and evergreens.
You can trim fruit trees to protect the coming harvest if the tree has too many buds. When you prune trees in summer, bear in mind that the harvest will improve in the next year.
Sap-producing trees like walnuts, maples, and birches benefit from a summer haircut because they’re less likely to produce sap at this time. Cutting into them in winter puts them at risk of running dry.
Other reasons to prune in summer are to remove excess branches from failing trees and to get rid of diseases or pests.
Never Heavily Prune a Tree in Summer
The question shouldn’t be, “Will pruning a tree in summer kill it?” but rather, “How much pruning will kill a tree in summer?” The answer is, as always, that you shouldn’t cut more than a third of the tree back.
Any more than that, and you risk removing so much foliage that the tree cannot produce enough nutrients.
Is There a Better Time to Prune a Tree?
Most arborists recommend that you trim your trees during the dormant period in winter. At the very least, you should prune your trees in spring before the new buds begin to form. Trimming trees in winter or spring minimizes the chances of infection and pest damage, especially in oak trees.
It also gives the tree a chance to build up its foliage and food stores before the dormant season begins.
Should You Hire a Professional?
We recommend hiring a professional to handle any type of trimming, no matter the time of year. Our expert team can safely trim the branches and cut back diseased growth while being mindful of the season and temperature.
We use our expertise to choose the right limbs to remove and top-of-the-line equipment to cut them cleanly. We also check the tree’s general health to determine whether it needs any other maintenance.
Contact Us for Professional Advice Today!
Now that you know the answer to, “Will pruning a tree in summer kill it?” you might have other questions like, will tree branches grow back? We have the answers, so call us at (865) 294-0062 and request your free estimate. Pro Tree of Knoxville is at your service in Knoxville, TN, and the surrounding areas.