Why Should You Avoid Pruning Oak Trees in the Spring

If you have live oak trees on your property, keeping them in shape will require pruning them periodically. However, if you are new to pruning oak trees, you may have done your research and read that you should never trim your oaks from February to June. While this is a general rule, there will be some exceptions. Knowing when your tree needs pruning and when it cannot wait until after the summer months can be critical for the overall health of your tree.

Being aware of the telltale signs that your trees need pruning will go a long way. However, since pruning is best done at specific times of the year, it may be challenging to know if you should proceed with doing it or not. This blog post will help you discern when it may be the right time to prune your oak tree, even during the spring months.

What Does Pruning Do?

Before anything else, it pays to understand what pruning does for trees. Pruning will help trees grow and remain strong. While newly planted trees should not be pruned until they are at least a few years old, once they are established, pruning will help them achieve optimal structural integrity and strength.

Why Should You Avoid Pruning Oak Trees in the Spring?

When you prune your trees, they will “bleed.” The wounds on your tree caused by the pruning will attract beetles. If you have a tree already affected by oak wilt, the beetles that come to feed on the sap of your tree may spread the disease to other nearby trees when they feed on the dripping sap from them.

When Is It Okay to Prune During Spring?

Although pruning trees should generally be avoided during the springtime (otherwise known as oak wilt season), there are specific situations where it would be wiser to prune the tree sooner rather than later, even if it is during spring. If there has been a recent storm that resulted in damage to the tree’s branches, or if there were other adverse conditions that caused damage to the tree, it is best not to wait until after the spring to prune as the tree will already be in danger at that point.

Signs and Symptoms of Oak Wilt

There are a few signs and symptoms of oak wilt that you should look out for when spotting this tree disease. The first symptom that will usually show up will come in the form of fungal spore mats. However, these spores will not be noticeable. You may notice more activity of Nitidulid Beetles, but you will not likely see anything going on with your tree until it shows external signs of oak wilt.

Conclusion

The moment you suspect that your tree may be infected with Oak Wilt, it is a good idea to contact an arborist to assess your tree. These professionals will know how to tell if your tree is infected and if measures can still be taken to save your tree. Working with an experienced arborist will ensure that the diagnosis of your tree will be accurate and that the most effective and appropriate treatment will be done to save your tree.

Should you require tree trimming, tree removal, stump grinding, land clearing, and other arborist services, come to Astros Tree Service TX! If you ever need to prune in the spring, you should work with highly-trained tree trimmers in Houston, TX. Contact us and get the best for your trees today!