Put your pruning shears out this spring when it arrive to these eight sort of tree .

Bob Stefko

Many householder bring out theirloppers and pruning sawsin bound for one reason or another . Maybe they ’re opening up the canopy to get more sunlight to understory plants or endeavor to restrain the growth of a tree diagram outgrow its surroundings . Or they could just be removing dead , diseased , or collapse limb that escaped their notice in the past .

Trees in the garden

Credit:Bob Stefko

No matter what the reason , pruning is well done in the proper season and it ’s not always take form . Here are eight kinds of trees that should not be clip in spring .

1. Trees in Active Growth

Cutting back trees when they are actively growing in spring can induce extra suckers to appear . Pruning at this time also weakens the plant life because it must practice already low energy reticence to grow new shoots and heal pruning cuts . There is also less canopy available to photosynthesize and feed the tree . It is good to trim thesetrees when dormantin late winter .

2. Bleeders

Some tree diagram “ bleed ” a caboodle of sap if pruned in spring . This is because they are converting large amounts of amylum into kale at the same prison term they are draw moisture from the grime , creating positive pressure . Bleeders include beech , birch , elm , hornbeam , maple , walnut tree , willow , and yellowwood . The bleed sap does not harm the tree , but it can be unsightly . If you have a mintage prone to hemorrhage and wish well to avoid it , prune trees in summertime instead .

3. Newly Planted Trees

It ’s fine to remove broken or dead branches or to correct a structural fault such as contend leadership . Otherwise , get out the tree diagram ’s canopy in place for a year so there is ample foliage for photosynthesis to feed the tree diagram and boost root growth .

4. Oak Trees

Do n’t pruneoaksfrom March to October where oak tree wilting disease is an issue because the sassy cuts can attract the mallet thattransmit the diseaseduring those months . If pruning is unavoidable at that time , apply a commercial-grade pruning sealant or latex blusher to wounds so beetle that disseminate oak wilt disease disease are not line to the fresh cuts .

5. Disease-Prone Trees

Apple , crabapple , hawthorn , mountain ash tree , andpearmay develop bacterial disease such as fire blight if clip in fountain , so it ’s better to prune them when they are torpid in previous wintertime . likewise , American elmwood trees can attract the bark beetles that transmit Dutch elm disease then , so opt for late winter instead .

6. Spring-Flowering Trees

To avoid removing blossom buds and diminishing — or staunch entirely — the annual flowered show , await to prune trees that bloom before July until they are done florescence . Examples includecherry , crabapple , lilac , plum , redbud , andserviceberry . Prune within one calendar month of petal drop , which may be late spring or former summer .

7. Certain Evergreens

evergreen rarely need to be pruned other than to remove branches that are break or a potential base hit chance . However , some gardener prune evergreens to encourage bushier growth . On pine tree , this would normally be late spring or early summertime , when “ candle ” of Modern ontogeny have emerged from terminal buds . However , spruce and fir tree trees originate Modern ontogenesis from lateral buds rather than terminal bud , so they are pruned in late winter to minimize the sap and resin flow from wound .

8. Older Trees

If melt off the canopy of a ripe tree , summertime is a preferable time because it is easier then to key older , less - rich branches as well as those that are numb , diseased , or in decline .