During the winter months, your trees are probably the last thing on your mind. However, winter can be a great time to get your trees trimmed up. Here are 3 reasons why you should prune your trees in winter:
1. The bare canopy allows you to see damage and defects very clearly.
This makes it easier to see which limbs need to be pruned or removed. This not only helps with the aesthetics of your trees, but with its overall safety, as cracked or damaged limbs are much more likely to fall during high winds or winter storms.
2. Certain species require dormant season pruning to prevent the spread of diseases.
Elms, Oaks, and fruit trees are all susceptible to fungal diseases that, in the case of Elms and Oaks can be fatal. During the winter, the fungi are dormant, and in the case of Elm trees, the insect that carries the fungus is not active. By pruning in winter, the tree will be able to close the pruning wound before the fungi and insects are active again, protecting your tree from infection.
3. Pruning in winter puts less stress on your tree and helps it heal faster from the pruning cuts.
Because the tree is dormant, it won’t be trying to push new growth to compensate for the pruned limbs. This allows the tree to heal faster, and hold on to some of its energy reserves that can be used to support vigorous new growth when spring comes.
Call your arborist today to see if winter pruning is a good option for your trees!
Be Good to Your Trees!
