Timing pruning well makes the tree healthier and the job cheaper. Here is how the year runs in Southeastern Michigan.
Winter, late fall through early spring
The best window for most trees. With the leaves off, structure is visible and problems are easy to see. The tree is dormant, wounds close quickly once growth resumes, disease pressure is at its lowest, and frozen ground means equipment does less damage to the lawn.
This is the right window for oaks specifically, and a good window for most large structural pruning.
Spring
The season to be careful. Oaks should not be pruned from roughly mid April through mid July because of oak wilt. Elms have a similar caution with Dutch elm disease. Maples and birches bleed sap heavily if cut in early spring, which looks alarming though it rarely harms the tree.
Spring flowering trees like crabapple, magnolia and lilac are best pruned right after they finish blooming, or you cut off next year’s flowers.
Summer
Fine for light work: deadwood, clearing limbs off the roof, thinning to let light through, and taking down anything hazardous. Summer is also when weak limbs reveal themselves, because full leaf weight plus a storm shows you which unions are struggling.
Avoid heavy structural pruning in mid summer drought. The tree is already stressed.
Fall
The least useful window for major cuts. Decay fungi release spores in autumn and wounds close slowly heading into winter. Cleanup, deadwood and hazard work are fine. Save the big structural pruning for after the leaves are down and the tree is properly dormant.
Any time of year
Safety does not wait for a season. Dead, hanging, split or storm damaged limbs, anything over a roof or driveway, and anything contacting a structure should be handled whenever you notice it.
One thing to avoid entirely
Topping, which means cutting main limbs back to stubs to reduce height. It produces weakly attached regrowth, opens the tree to decay, and creates a more dangerous tree within a few years. Proper tree trimming reduces a canopy by cutting back to appropriate lateral branches instead.
Common Questions
Can trees be trimmed in summer?
Yes, for deadwood, clearance over roofs and driveways, and anything hazardous. Save heavy structural pruning for the dormant season, and do not prune oaks in spring or early summer.
How much can be removed at once?
Less than most people expect. Taking too much live canopy at once stresses the tree. A light, well placed thinning usually achieves what people want anyway.
Is topping ever acceptable?
No. It creates weakly attached regrowth and opens the tree to decay. Height and spread are reduced properly by cutting back to suitable lateral branches.
Get a Free Estimate
Winter is the quiet season for structural pruning and a good time to book it. Tip Top Timber Co. is based in Armada and works throughout Macomb County, St. Clair County and the surrounding area. Call (586) 651-5488 or send us a message for a free estimate. If a tree is already down, our 24 hour line is (586) 651-4552.
