Do you want to keep your trees shaped, safe, and healthy? Then you’ll need to grab your shears and prune them! Trimming your trees is the most important task for keeping them thriving throughout the season! But is there a time when pruning should be avoided?
If you had asked me that question a few years ago, I’m not sure I would have been able to answer you! Luckily, all those years of growing them finally paid off. Now I have gained enough experience to tell you that there are actually times when not pruning trees is a good idea!
After I followed these rules, my trees looked the healthiest they have ever been. Let’s see when you should skip trimming your trees!
Trimming In Extreme Weather Can Stress Your Trees
If you live in an area where temperatures are extreme, avoid pruning at all costs! Wondering why? It’s because trimming in extremely cold or hot conditions can cause a lot of stress to your trees.
Pruning on days when temperatures are high can expose the branches to the sun, which can be very harmful. It can also lead to dehydration, causing your trees to stop growing.
It’s true that you can trim trees during winter, but doing it on extremely cold days isn’t a good idea! Chilly temperatures can do much more damage to your trees than you might think. That’s why I always wait for the weather to warm up before I start pruning them!
Cutting Back Right After Transplanting Is A Big No-No!
When you decide that it is time to transplant your trees, pruning is something you should avoid! They will already be under a lot of stress from being planted in their new place, so trimming them could introduce even more problems!
Trees will need all their energy when being transplanted to get established, and with pruning, that won’t happen. Removing even a small part of your trees can cause a lot of damage.
The more leaves on your trees, the better the root growth will be! That’s why you’ll need to wait for them to go dormant and then proceed with trimming.
Avoid Pruning Your Trees In Late Spring And Summer
Pruning in these two seasons is the worst decision you can make! In late spring, your trees are bursting with new life, and they are using energy to grow shoots and leaves.
Trimming them at this time can disturb this natural process and cause the trees to expend a lot of energy healing from it! So, avoid pruning in late March and May, as this will protect your trees and support their growth.
Cutting your trees in late summer might be even worse! This season is also known for pests and diseases. Pruning can weaken trees, making them more susceptible to all the threats out there.
When The Time Comes, These Are The Best Pruning Techniques You Can Use
What’s the best time to prune your trees? Trimming can be done anytime between late fall and early spring! When pruning during this time, cuttings will have enough time to heal and new growth will be guaranteed.
Now let’s see some tricks for trimming your trees. First, start with clean and sharp pruners or loppers! Look closely at damaged or diseased branches and remove them first.
You shouldn’t remove more than 25% of a small, young tree and no more than 10% of a larger, older tree! Next, find any branches that are downward-pointing or crossing one another and remove them. That’s all the work needed for strong and healthy trees!
You’ll be able to grow the healthiest trees if you avoid pruning them at these times! Waiting for late fall or early spring trimming will give you the best results. There won’t be any threats from pests, disease, or weak growth. Instead, your garden will be filled with beautiful, thriving trees!
As we wrap up another journey, make sure to follow these rules and methods while pruning. Don’t forget that waiting for the best time will pay off in the end!