Working in the yard and gardens is one of the great joys of summer for many Americans. If you have trees on your property that are getting out of control, warm sunny days may be a tempting time to prune them back. You must be careful, however, with pruning.
Issues With Summer Pruning
Although it may seem like a good time to cut trees back, pruning during the summer can lead to a few problems. When you cut branches off of your trees in the summer, there are fewer leaves to produce food for the tree. This can have a great influence on the tree’s growth the following year.
The other main problem with pruning during the summer months is that it leaves the tree with open wounds at an inopportune time. Diseases and pests are at their highest levels during the summer months and pruning wounds on the tree leaves them vulnerable to attack. It is often best for the health of the tree to avoid summer pruning.
Can I Prune Any Trees in the Summer?
Although you must be careful with cutting trees back in the summer to maintain their health, there are a few types of trees and instances in which you can prune during the summer.
- Stunting growth. If you want to keep a tree from growing to excess the next year, you can prune it during the summer to reduce the number of leaves.
- Deadwood. If your tree has broken, weak, dying limbs, or a dead spot, it is acceptable to cut that portion out at any time.
- Sappy hardwoods. These trees often ooze a lot of sap if pruned in the winter, so cutting during the summer is preferred.
- Evergreens. Some light pruning in the summer is ok, but don’t do major pruning until they are dormant.
- Fruit trees. Cutting fruit trees back a bit during the summer usually won’t hurt them, but it can inhibit fruit production.
If you have questions about pruning your trees, or need the help of a skilled, professional team, reach out to Advanced Tree and Landscaping at (541) 621-9460 today.
