Spring tree pruning is like spring cleaning for your yard and garden. Not only can removing the old, dead branches from trees and shrubs improve the health of the plant, but it can enhance the look of your property as well.

How to Prune Trees in Spring

The right tree pruning depends on the type of tree and the season. While light pruning can be done on any tree, any time of year, anything more than removing the dead wood can potentially harm your tree if it’s not the right season. You can always take down branches broken in winter storms, but you should wait until the coldest part of winter has passed to do any major work. Removing diseased, dead, and weak growth is key to improving the health of your growing tree. Thinning out your tree allows for more air and light to get in, thus enhancing its strength, shape, and overall condition.

Spring Tree Pruning by Type

The best time to prune your tree will depend on when it will start to bloom. If your tree starts to flower after midsummer, then spring is the best time to trim. Trees that typically bloom in the winter, spring, or early fall should be pruned soon after the flowers have faded. Use the timeline below to help decide when you should start pruning some common trees and shrubs.

• Early spring: Apple, cherry, peach, plum, and trumpet vine
• Spring: Virginia creeper, wisteria, rose, and clematis
• When budding begins: Rose of Sharon
• After flowering: Flowering dogwood, forsythia, lilac, rhododendron, and climbing rose

Proper Tree Pruning Tips

There are certain techniques to keep in mind while pruning trees in any season. Improper pruning can lead to weak, hollowed trunks, or even rot and decay entering the healthy tissues of the tree. Follow these tips for the best tree-trimming results:

• Remove dead or dying branches
• Remove limbs that rub together
• Trim limbs that grow towards the center of the tree
• Eliminate narrow, V-shaped angles
• Cut close to the trunk, bud, or branch
• Do not leave stubs in branches or the trunk
• When in doubt, enlist the help of a tree care specialist

If you still have questions about the right way to prune your trees this spring, give us a call. The certified arborists at Elite Tree Care are experienced in maintaining the health of your tree through proper pruning practices. Contact us at 610-935-2279 for a free estimate.