Is It OK To Prune Trees In The Winter?

Many homeowners believe they shouldn’t prune their trees in the winter because doing so will ultimately cause more harm than good. Others see it as a death sentence for their trees – a hard and fast no-no supposedly passed down as good advice from friends and neighbors.

Your friendly landscape specialists at TreeNewal are here to tell you this is not the case. Winter is an excellent time of the year to take steps to improve the year-round health of your plants and trees. In this article, we will discuss tree pruning in more detail and what we believe are the Top 5 reasons why it is perfectly OK to prune your trees in the winter.

What is pruning?

Not everyone is a certified master arborist, so let’s first define what we mean by “pruning.” Pruning means manually removing dead or damaged branches. If left unattended, these branches can lead to:

• Safety problems
• Disease
• Insects having a place to live and multiply
• Decaying organisms
• A heavier and unhealthy tree
• A yard that looks unattended and uninviting

Just like you go to the doctor for regular checkups to maintain your health, pruning will help your tree stay healthy and keep your yard looking beautiful all year long. Winter is the best time of the year to prune your trees, and here are our Top 5 reasons why:

Pruning in the winter is easier

It’s so much easier to roll up your sleeves and eliminate a few dead or decaying branches when there are no leaves to get in your way and obstruct your view. You will be able to see which limbs need to go and where to make the best cut. You can also spot potential issues that weren’t visible earlier in the year.

Pruning in the winter diminishes the threat of disease

Most plants and trees are dormant during the winter months, and so are most insects and fungal infections that can infest your trees. Pruning during the winter allows you or your landscaper to make fresh pruning cuts without fear of spreading disease.

Pruning in the winter is better for your trees

To piggyback off the previous reason, pruning in the winter gives your trees a chance to heal. Making a fresh cut is causing injury to a tree, so doing it during the winter allows for the wound to harden over and promote even more growth in the spring and healthier trees during harsher conditions.

Pruning in the winter is safer for your property

Whether you are a homeowner or a business owner, you need to ensure the trees around your property are healthy and safe for family, employees, and customers to be around. Winter brings snow and ice, which can weigh down weaker tree limbs. Getting rid of these excess branches will keep everyone safe.

Pruning in the winter is easier to schedule

Landscape professionals and certified master arborists are much busier during the spring and summer. If you have a tree that needs pruning now, you are more likely to get faster turnaround times. Call TreeNewal today to get your winter pruning scheduled.

At TreeNewal, we believe it is our social responsibility to promote healthy trees and landscapes in urban environments. We are excited not only to work directly with homeowners but also complement what developers and builders already are doing to be socially responsible. We offer guidance while extending that relationship all the way through to the customer. Call us today!

For more information, visit www.treenewal.com or call tel:(817) 592-6846.