When to Prune?

[Peter]

I like to prune trees about an hour or two before the customer writes me a nice cheque.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I like to prune trees about an hour or two before the customer writes me a nice cheque.

 

It takes you so long ??

[Peter]

Well on average, 20 minutes to prune the tree, 45 minutes drinking tea while the groundies drag and chip, and then another 45 minutes to put all my ropes and shiny climbing toys away!

[vduben]

arnt fruit trees as a rule ment to be pruned just after flowering?

[Zenfordinner]

We tend to only prune Walnut tree between July & August.

[Dean Lofthouse]

then another 45 minutes to put all my ropes and shiny climbing toys away!

 

Now that I can believe

[Pete Hart]

Great post. thanks for everyone's knowledge - i'm trying to collate and notebook full of 'best practice' for pruning various species, and this will certainly help!

[educated arborist]

it depends on what the client wants to acheeve. Pruning in dormancy is 'best' for the tree but not nesesary but may be preferable if a tree is diaplaying very poor vigor etc but if they are after the trees display of flower or fruit then it needs to be done just as the bloom is finishing. Phenology is just one small factor when deciding pruning operations there's no definative best time to prune & bleeding is not a bad thing, just a little unsightly.

[nepia]

Dont prune... ceder of lebenon... in the winter they are still bleeding 8 months later.

 

 

Does that apply equally to Deodar David? If so I'll put off a customer till the spring (which won't be a problem).

 

Thanks,

 

Jon

[chestnut]

i think timing on pruning really depends on why you are pruning in the first place - i am not talking crown lifts or reductions etc - but pruning for purpose

 

are you pruning to increase fruit / flowers?

to keep it in shape or to train it?

to let in air / light and clear dead wood?

to cut out disease?

 

i think the motive for pruning really dictates when you do it - if you know what i mean

 

general rule is to prune an early flowering trees and shrubs after flowering has finished as they flower on last years wood

later flowering shrub species may flower on new wood - so benefit from a spring pruning

(non stone) fruit trees benefit from being pruned lightly in summer and hard in winter

stone fruits tend to be more susceptible to disease (esp silver leaf) so are best pruned in clean warm weather - but not when wet, windy or humid

 

we prune our copse all year round - in fact we never seem to have a break from pruning