What is the Best Season for Tree Pruning?

seasonal tree pruning in south dakota

When it comes to the question, “What season is best for tree tree pruning?” The answer can be indirect.

Tree type will dictate when many species can be pruned, along with insect population and activity, local tree and plant diseases and other plants and trees in the landscape.

With the assistance of a professional arborist in South Dakota, you will be able to decide which season is the best for pruning your trees to prepare them for success next season and beyond.

Best Season to Trim Trees

Without any other information, SD Tree Trimming recommends pruning trees during the winter. This ranges from November to March in most areas. This season is best because trees are typically dormant, so trimming will lead to a minimal amount of harm, if any.

There are a lot of benefits to pruning trees in the winter:

Lower risk of insect damage and disease – Insects and plant diseases are mostly inactive in the winter in South Dakota. During the rest of the year, everything from insects to fungus can affect a newly trimmed tree because the tree will be the most susceptible and these issues thrive in warmer weather.

Easier to see the shape of the tree when the leaves are gone – Leaves get in the way of your arborist from seeing the complete shape of your tree. When branches are bare, it is much easier to see diseased or dead limbs and branches that are touching versus those that are just close together.

Trees have time to heal before spring – By performing significant pruning in the winter, your trees will have several months to build up callus tissue on the ends of the remaining branch collar. By spring, you’ll barely be able to identify where the branches were removed, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers instead of healing new cuts.

Less chance of harming nearby landscaping – Most of the nearby trees and plants will also be dormant during this time, so there is less risk of them. Many times, a tree is surrounded by annual plants in the spring and summer, but there are no plants to be disturbed during the winter since these annuals already died out.

Do All Trees Need Pruning?

Yes, all trees benefit from trimming. Tree pruning each winter is good for trees, but it is also a precaution for the safety of your landscaping and your family. Let us explain:

Pruning Makes the Tree Healthier

Dead and diseased branches are cut off, as are stubs that are susceptible to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub one another are also trimmed so they don’t weaken one another or cause an open wound on the tree.

Trimming trees each winter is a great way to get an expert’s opinion on the health of your trees so that early warning signs of decay, disease and pest problems can be spotted and dealt with right away.

A Cared-For Tree Serves Its Purpose Better

When a tree is overgrown, it starts to be hard for water and nutrients to get to every branch. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.

Trimmed trees, on the other hand, blossom more fruit, healthier leaves and offer better shade. They are fuller and healthier and less likely to create landscaping issues. So regardless of why you planted a new tree, routine trimming each winter will improve the results you desire from it.

Trees are More Attractive After Pruning

If the view of your landscaping is important to you, tree trimming is important! Trimming trees results in an attractive, uniform size and shape. This is very important if you have a lot of identical trees on your property.

Cutting off lower branches and upper branches that grow at improper angles enhances the overall beauty of the tree while also promoting tree health.

Less Risk of Dropping Branches

Tree pruning – from a professional – encourages the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and other inclement weather in South Dakota won’t damage your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be much safer living under and around trimmed trees.

Another safety issue for large trees is that they impede the view of traffic lights, road signs and driveways. Tree pruning, crown raising and other specialized tree care services will keep the tree at a manageable size and stop it from blocking various views.

Call SD Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming

Hiring a certified arborist in South Dakota gives you access to their knowledge on the subject of tree pruning. We strongly recommend relying on their years of experience if you have trees on your property that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.

An arborist won’t only consider the current situation. Instead, an experienced arborist will take the time to research your trees and understand their unique scenario (including their location and other factors that may put them at risk of disease or infestation). After gathering all the information, an arborist will make a long-term plan based on your trees’ needs and stick to that course of action until your goals for your trees are met.

This plan might take years to implement, but rest assured, it will lead to healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.

This type of ongoing care will result in healthy tree growth, help your entire property fight off plant diseases and enhance flower or fruit production from the trees. It will also fortify your trees so there is less risk of falling trees or branches.

Being proactive about tree trimming can save you a lot of money as well. Preventative maintenance is much more cost-effective than paying for emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or curing an ill tree of a disease that has gotten out of hand (and one that was easily preventable).

If you care about the health of your trees and the curb appeal of your landscaping, trust a certified arborist for tree pruning and maintenance from SD Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of South Dakota. Call today!

CALL NOW