When Should You Prune Trees? A Simple Homesteading Guide

There’s a strange art to homeownership and homesteading. It’s a mixed bag of “I didn’t know I was supposed to do that” and “what tool do I use for this?” Worst of all, there’s no guide handed to any of us when we enter the terrifyingly unfamiliar world of adulthood. 

When should you prune trees isn’t a question that all of us instinctually know the answer to. Read on to the guide to find out HOW and WHEN you should prune trees.

Why Are You Up This Ladder?

It’s reasonable to ask yourself why it’s even important to prune trees. They’ve inhabited this planet for hundreds of millions of years, why should you mess with the natural order of things?

Without pruning your trees, your trees will do what trees do best: grow. But without a helping hand, they’ll grow unruly and improperly. It usually results in a messy look, which in return makes for an unkempt lawn.

Pruning is a way for the tree to reach its genetic potential while maintaining a clean aesthetic. Landscapers prune limbs that are ill or dead, which only serve to hinder your tree’s growth. Tree pruners also hedge off any intertwining limbs that obscure an upward path of growth. 

There are safety concerns about trees that aren’t regularly pruned. These trees are unhealthy. They often lead to injury or damages from falling branches, especially during gusty seasons. 

So, When Should You Prune Trees? 

There’s a single answer to a lot of homeowner’s questions. It’s “when you have the time.” It also answers yours adequately. 

There’s never a bad time to prune trees, aside from obviously unsafe times. Don’t go strapping yourself to a tree during a thunderstorm. 

Trees will grow their limbs in just about every which way they can reach for sunlight. Mangling wad of branches are susceptible to disease and rot regularly. Taking a Saturday afternoon to chop some of them off your tree is good practice. 

Experienced homeowners have a seasonal schedule for when to prune their trees, which is strongly based on preference, and a tad on science.

Some maple-producing trees are prone to bleeding when pruned in late winter. Don’t fret, it’s unharmful and will conclude when the tree buds. If you’re in a hot climate, this might be the ideal time to do it. 

Others like to do it in autumn. But if you’re a warmer climate, this could cause problems with unwanted growth right before winter. 

Working outdoors during the summer’s heat is dangerous, but it has benefits. Gardners with know-how do it during the summer to promote healthy, slow growth. 

If you don’t have the know-how, we advise getting a professional that does. Check out this link. 

Let’s Get to Climbing Trees

Not a lot of us have experience in owning a home. There’s a lot that needs to be done, but nobody to tell you how to do it, why to do it, or when. From planting a tree in your garden to knowing when to remove a tree from your yard, there are a lot of homesteading conundrums we can encounter.

As for the question “when should you prune trees?”, the answer is: when you feel like it needs to be done. There’s no real set schedule to do it, but do it when it’s safe. 

But don’t neglect to do it. Pruning promotes healthy, visually appealing trees. 

Interested in more gardening tips? Check out our other articles on the matters.