As the weather warms and thoughts of spring start to bud, you may think you missed your tree maintenance window. However, there’s still some spring tree pruning to be done under certain circumstances.

Spring Tree Pruning

While the best time to prune trees is late winter while it’s still dormant and leafless, you can still get away with some trimming before any buds start to form. Once the blooms appear, pruning increases the risk of limiting the tree’s growth potential. Also, any cuts made puts more stress on the tree to heal and can lead to pest infestation or disease.

The general rule of (green) thumb is to not prune more than 10 percent of the branch. You can always prune anything dead, dying, or decaying, but anything else should be minimal. Also keep in mind that anything close to a structure, utility lines, or out of your reach from standing on the ground should be left for a professional to prune.

Types of Trees to Prune

Spring is the perfect time to prune certain types of trees. Prune maple, walnut, and birch trees in late spring or early summer when all the leaves are back to limit the amount of messy sap produced if pruned in winter.

The following varieties should be pruned once they’re done blooming in spring:

• Apricot
• Crabapple
• Dogwood
• Flowering cherry and plum
• Lilac
• Magnolia

For this next group of trees, pruning them in the spring, summer, or early fall runs a higher risk of disease, so you only want to prune them while dormant in the winter:

• Oak
• Elm
• Sycamore
• Honeylocust

Whenever you prune, be careful to use proper techniques and not take off too much. Enlist the help of a certified arborist if you have any questions or concerns. Contact Elite Tree Care for other helpful spring tree pruning tips.