The time to prune your trees depends on the reason you are pruning your tree in the first place…
Pruning trees can:
- Stimulate growth
- Repair damage
- Increase flowering
- Limit growth
When it comes to pruning; timing is everything!
Limit growth
If you want to limit your trees growth, get pruning in summer! Performing pruning in the summer months can limit out of control trees. Avoid any major branches and don’t prune too heavily or you may risk your tree getting sunburnt.
Increase flowering
To increase flowering, prune a tree when its flowers are starting to fade, when the petals start to drop and before new shoots start.
Stimulate growth
Pruning trees in late winter as the weather starts to warm up will stimulate spring and summer growth. It is also easier to shape trees in winter as often the foliage is a lot less than when they’re thriving and flowering in the spring and summer months.
Repair damage
Pruning mid summer will allow you to see any parts of the tree that is diseased or decaying as these areas will likely be suffering and discoloured or dying compared to other parts of the tree.
When it comes to pruning trees, you do have to be careful, as pruning the tree at the wrong time of year can have unwanted effects. For example if you just want to tidy your tree up you shouldn’t prune in summer, as you will limit its growth substantially!
If you’re unsure which trees to prune when consider the services of a professional such as Australian Tree Services. Having your trees pruned by a professional it will limit any damage and ensure correct pruning techniques are used so your trees will thrive!
