The question is often asked as to when be the right and correct time to "prune" your trees? This is always a topical and highly relevant important question when it comes to the topic of tree care - for your yard and garden landscaping - whether it is your city house or rural cottage or chalet.
When considering the timeliness of pruning one must consider various factors. The correct timing is not always when it is easiest and most convenient for the landscape artist or technician.
The first factor to consider is that every pruning cut on a living branch is a direct insult and injury to that plant is it tree, bush or shrub. These wounds take away energy from the plants vital stores and reserves. Pruning wounds will cause the tree to use energy to contain the decay that is caused by injuring the tree and as well in the repair process. Nothing is for nothing and so it is with tree care and growth. . Make it a general overall rule to prune only the bare minimum amount needed. Experience of millennia of professional landscapers has shown that pruning excessively will result in permanent injury to the tree or plant trimmed. As well in the future increased frequencies of corrective pruning and landscaping will most likely be needed and required. These later repairs would otherwise may not have been required.
The second factor to consider is the actual species of the tree. It is well known that various trees have different growth patterns that affect the time of year that you can successfully prune the tree. Trees like maple, willow and birch should not be pruned late in the year - in the winter seasons and as well in the early springtime seasons. Pruning willow , maple and birch trees at these times will cause them to lose copious amounts of sap liquid , that while it does slightly weaken the trees , will leave a sticky mess in your yard. Trees that tend to lose sap can be best be pruned when they are at their fully leafed state later in the spring or summer season.
The third factor to consider is the presence of insect pests and disease. Some trees may be made more susceptible to these problems when you injure them by pruning. For this reason, species like elm and oak should only be pruned when dormant, which is typically after their leaves fall and into mild winter. In many jurisdictions, there are prohibitions on pruning elms and oaks during their growing seasons.
Generally most flowering trees can be pruned right after they flower to allowing new flower buds to set. Pruning these trees too late can result in poor flowing response the following growing season year.
It has been found that with many deciduous trees, the later you wait to prune them, in the winter season, the greater the amount of adventitious shoots you will develop the following year. If you prune these trees later in the season - best in fall or late summer you will find that these succulent shoots are less likely to avail themselves in your yard.
Spruce trees and most pine trees can be pruned in the spring time when they are generally putting out new growth. Generally most evergreen conifers follow this rule and should not be pruned from mid summer until the fall weather cools off.
Finally, it is important that you're landscaping tools and utensils are sharp and up to the job. Cuts larger than ¾ of an inch should be performed with a sharp saw. If the cut is below ¼ of an inch then the preferred tool are "bypass pruning shears".
All in all, prune your landscape trees, shrubs and plants correctly and at the appropriate time of the year for the species of plant.
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