Need to prune a tree, whether due to a dead branch, a hazard, or simply an eyesore? Not sure how to go about it?Follow our advice to know when and how to prune, while minimizing risk to both you and your tree.
Best time for pruning is in April, May, and June. During these months, photosynthesis kicks off, sap surge is over and wounds heal faster. You might consider pruning in winter, but only when Jack Frost isn’t in town. In any case, you should not prune:
For the tree itself, it will always be better to undergo pruning early on, when undesired branches are still small. Envision your tree growing and decide which shape it should have. Ideally, you’d prune away excess branches every 2 years, keeping only the final structural branches. This guarantees that you only ever need to cut small branches instead of riskier large ones.
Pruning at the wrong moment weakens a tree far more than the cut itself. This table sums up what the article says about each period of the year, so you can decide before you pick up a tool.
| Timing | What the tree is doing | Prune or wait? |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-spring to early summer | Photosynthesis under way, sap surge over | Best window — wounds heal faster |
| Midwinter to late winter | Dormant, but vulnerable to frost damage | Possible, but only in frost-free spells |
| Early spring | Unfurling its first leaves | Avoid — cutting now weakens the tree |
| Early to mid-autumn, just before leaf fall | Moving nourishing substances from leaf to trunk | Avoid — it robs next spring’s growth |
| Every second year, as a routine | Building its final structural branches | Ideal rhythm — only small cuts needed |
Pruning little and often keeps you to small branches, and small branches mean small wounds.
Branch size guides your choice. Use a pruner or a lopper for small diameters. You’ll also see these in stores as pruning shears or branch cutters. For bigger diameters, greater than 1 or 1½ inches (3 or 4 cm), a pruning saw makes cleaner cuts. For really big branches, you might need a chainsaw.
Before you start pruning, make sure your tool cuts well. If it’s a pruner or lopper, it needs to be sharp enough. For a saw, make sure it doesn’t lack any teeth, or you’ll end up tearing instead of sawing. For a chainsaw, check that the chain is sharp before you start. Then, to prevent infection or disease spread, clean and sterilize your tools after each cut.
Allow your tree to heal by not cutting too close to trunk. Cut angle should be perpendicular to the cut branch axis (not parallel to trunk).
For smaller diameter branches, with a pruner or a lopper, no special technique. Respect pruning area and cut crisply and cleanly.
Things get trickier when you have to use a saw for a larger branch. You’ll need to follow three steps:
Beyond recommended protective gear (gloves, glasses…), you must be mindful of your work area. If it’s at human height, no special precautions necessary. But, if you need to prune much higher branches, use a pole pruner or a pole saw and secure your surroundings so nobody can enter.
Don’t work on a ladder, stepladder or any other unstable situations. Of course, for your safety, in case of a larger and more technical project, better call a professional.
Never run a chainsaw above shoulder height.
Add a helmet with ear defenders and cut-resistant trousers to your kit as soon as a chainsaw comes out, since gloves and glasses alone are not enough for that tool.
Work out where the branch will fall and keep a clear path to step back along, away from the hinge and the trunk.
Stop pruning in gusty wind or when branches are icy or wet, as loads shift unpredictably and footing is poor.
It’s important to schedule this step as well, since piles of leaves and wood can attract undesirable animals like snakes or rodents. Best is to immediately shred branches into rich ramial chipped wood, but you might want to keep a small pile as shelter for beneficial animals like the hedgehog and shrew.
Ramial chipped wood only works if you feed the shredder young branches under about 3 inches (7 cm) across, since thicker, older wood is too lignified to break down usefully.
Spread the chippings on the soil surface as a mulch rather than digging them in, or the decomposing wood will lock up nitrogen in the root zone.
Burning prunings is restricted or banned in many areas, so check your local rules and use a green waste collection point for anything you cannot shred.
