What is the Best Season for Tree Pruning?

seasonal tree pruning in tennessee

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

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

With the guidance of a professional arborist in Tennessee, you will be able to decide which time of year is ideal for trimming your trees to prepare them for success next season and beyond.

Best Season to Prune Trees

Without any other information, TN Tree Trimming recommends trimming trees during the winter. This ranges from November to March in Tennessee. This season is ideal because the trees are typically dormant, so pruning will lead to the least amount of harm, if any.

There are a lot of benefits to trimming trees during the winter:

Lower risk of pest damage and disease – Insects and plant diseases are usually inactive in the winter. Throughout the rest of the year, anything from insects to fungus can harm a newly pruned tree because the tree will be the most susceptible and these issues are more common in warmer weather.

Easier to see the shape of the tree when there are no leaves – Leaves stop your arborist from seeing the overall shape of a tree. When tree branches are bare, it is much easier to identify dead or diseased branches and branches that are touching versus those that are just too close to each other.

Trees can heal before spring – By doing this major tree trimming during the winter, your trees will have several months to rebuild callus tissue on the tips of the remaining branch collar. By spring season, you’ll hardly be able to tell where the branches were trimmed, and the tree will be able to devote its energy to produce new, healthier leaves, fruit or flowers rather than healing new cuts.

Less chance of damaging nearby landscaping – Most of the surrounding trees and plants will also be dormant, so there is a lower 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 in the winter since these annuals already died out.

Do All Trees Need Trimming?

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

Pruning Makes the Tree Healthier

Dying and diseased limbs are cut off, as are branch stubs that are prone to pests and disease. Limbs that can rub one another are also pruned so that they don’t weaken each other or cause an open wound on the tree.

Pruning trees each winter is a good way to get expert eyes on the health of your trees so that early signs of decay, disease and pest problems can be identified and handled as soon as possible.

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 limb. This can leave the tree looking weak and sick and definitely not doing what it’s meant to do.

Pruned 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 problems. So regardless of why you decided to plant a new tree, pruning each winter will maximize the results you desire from it.

Trees are More Attractive After Trimming

If the view of your yard or landscaping is important to you, tree pruning is important! Trimming trees gives them 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 look of the tree while also strengthening tree health.

Less Chance of Dropping Branches

Tree trimming – done the right way – helps the remaining branches to grow stronger and healthier. Therefore, storms and high winds won’t affect your trees the way they would an unkempt tree. Your home and family will be safer living under and around trimmed trees.

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

Call TN Tree Trimming for Tree Trimming

Working with a professional arborist in Tennessee gives you access to their expert knowledge on tree trimming. We highly recommend relying on their expertise if you have trees on that you’d like to keep healthy for a long time.

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

This plan could require many years to implement, but rest assured, it will result in healthy trees that you and your family can enjoy for generations.

This type of ongoing care will aid in healthy tree growth, help your entire property fight off plant diseases and increase fruit or flower production from trees. It will also strengthen your trees so there is not as much risk of falling trees or limbs.

Being proactive about tree pruning will save you a lot of money over time too. Preventative care is much more cost-effective than the cost of emergency tree services, storm damage cleanup or restoring a sick tree from 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 property, trust a certified arborist for tree trimming and maintenance from TN Tree Trimming. Discover our service area here. We work with arborists across the entire state of Tennessee. Call now!

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