With a few snips of a pruning tool, trees have just what they need to kick off strong growth or shake off weak branches.
Thanks to a proper trim, trees are ready to grow as soon as spring arrives. It seems like our plants would want this clean slate every year, but timing is everything when it comes to pruning.
Keep reading to get the rundown on how often to trim or prune trees.
The Proper Pruning Schedule for Your Trees
Every tree grows at a different rate, which means trimming time can vary a bit. Generally, pruning every 3 to 5 years is best.
How often should you prune trees?
There are all kinds of reasons you may need to trim your trees! Perhaps a weak branch is on the brink of falling, or a young tree needs to establish its structure.
A certified arborist can help figure out the timeline that works best for your particular tree. Though, most mature trees operate on a 3 to 5-year cycle while younger trees are pruned more frequently (typically every 2 to 3 years).
That’s a rule of thumb. To find out exactly how often to prune your trees, you’ve got to consider the tree’s type, size and health.
For example, fruit trees often need an annual trim to help them produce each spring, while evergreens can go years without a prune.
Before scheduling tree pruning, you’ve also got to think about the time of year. Generally, the dormant season (after trees lose their leaves and before they return in spring) is one of the best times to prune. But, some trees have an even stricter schedule, like oaks.
How often should you trim oak trees?
Like other trees, oak trees are generally pruned every 2 to 3 years when young and every 3 to 5 years when they’re older. But oak trees have unique pruning needs because they can be infected with oak wilt, a deadly disease brought on by pests that prey on fresh pruning cuts.
Oak wilt is most active from April to July, which is why you should never trim oak trees in the summer. To be safe, you should avoid pruning between April 1 and November 15.
Davey arborists recommend pruning oak trees between November 15 and March 31.
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