Ask an Arborist: The ABC’s of Pruning

Our arborists often get asked this question: When should we have our trees trimmed? The answer is not always as straightforward as we’d like, so we’ve compiled a helpful guide to try and answer this question once and for all. 

When thinking about pruning, our arborists need to be mindful of the type of tree we’re talking about as well as a number of other factors like the impact of insects, the trees’ susceptibility to disease, and the surrounding landscaping.

Generally, the best time to prune or trim trees is during the winter months. From November through March, most trees are dormant which makes it the ideal time for the following reasons:

• Trees are less susceptible to insects or disease.

• There is less impact on the surrounding landscape and our crew can easily see what they’re doing while all the leaves are gone.

• Trees heal faster, meaning that by the time spring rolls around, your tree will be happy and healthy again.