Best Time Of Year To Trim Trees?

[Pigeon]

What is the best season or time for trimming trees?

I need to trim dead limbs, as well as good limbs. Have a variety of tree species. Oak, Hickory, Mimosa, Mulberry, Maple, Willow, Cottonwood, some conifers (?Pine).

How close to the trunk should I trim?

After trimming, should I apply anything to the trunk?

I want to take good care of my trees.

Thanks

 

[RobertN]

Depends if you are trimming to maximize fruit, or just for canopy shaping. for canopy shaping, you can trim any time, especially dead limbs.

You can find books on pruning. An Arborist teaches in one of my Horticulture classes. He trims year round. One of the key things he notes is where you make the cuts, and how you make them. An improper angle of the cut can lead to decay, but a proper cut will heal over.

 

[gsganzer]

The best time to prune shade trees is in the winter. This minimizes the chances of disease, because disease spores are dormant. It's also the best time because the trees stored energy is in the roots. After a winter pruning, the stored energy in the roots will return to a smaller canopy in the spring, making for a healthier tree.

I also recommend disinfecting your pruning equipment between trees. A bleach solution in a spray bottle works well.

The cuts should be made at the "bark collar" to promote rapid healing and minimize the chances of decay.

The National Arborist Association, NAA, does not recommend coating the wound with anything, such as tree paint. Most tree paints are creosote or asphalt based and ****** healing.

 

[gsganzer]

Here's a link showing the proper pruning technique.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_prune/cuts.htm

 

[bebster]

February and March, preferably before early bloom is best time for fruit trees (and probably most other trees). I've heard that it's best to not put anything on the pruning spot, just leave it air dry to heal. The key is to make the cut so that there is enough bark around the cut that will grow back over it and heal.

 

[Pigeon]

Thanks for all the great replies. The link was very informative. It sent me down a pretty good rabbit trail of info! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif