When is the best time to prune trees?

As arborist we are asked often when the best time to prune trees is. Here are the top four reasons why you should prune your trees in the dormant season.

[JPWick]

Funny. I was a fund manager... then realized money doesn't make me happy. Left that and got rid of all my phones and portable electronic devices. Got into gardening. Best decision I ever made. I'm happy now.

[gr-]

Great video! I’ll hold off on pruning my serviceberry trees until fall.

[DanielM.-bhco]

Right to the answer! Thank you very much. Very professional 👌

[josealvarado]

great job man. now i know when is the right time to prune a fruit tree.very educative an professional and simple to understand. Thanks a lot Mr Russell. I enjoyed.

[arboristBlairGlenn]

Depends on the species. Depends on the part of the country you live in. Depends on weakness in the tree. Depends on decay. Keep going.

[igorsinger]

simple, accessible and understandable.
I practically agree with everything (with the exception of a few not radically different cases such as pruning, for example, plants with early strong sap flow like maple)

[Twins]

So I was ready to call someone for my fruit trees, but after listening to you, I will wait for winter, I'm in Miami, Florida and yes have mango and canistel, sugar cane, and fig....while they've all fruited, I'll wait for Oct. Nov, months to prune, and wait for that Last quarter to do it.. Thanks so much for your advise..the time of moon phase does have something to do as well...unless, a hurricane comes and does some pruning on its own...

[Aaron_Barrett]

Can I trim walnut now, it have no leaves but I'm afraid it have juice start moving. Thank you for video, greetings from Ukraine

[chilarai]

You did good. Being an arborist is cooler. And thanks for the info. I now am planning my pruning.

[zxrpower]

AWESOME!!!! just what I was looking for. I'd hire you to do my expensive trees and bushes. Hiring someone to do it this time around. I'm a iron worker and have no business doing landscaping, other than cutting and raking grass lol. I killed my trees and busted with a sawzall at my 1st home I owned 😆😆

[GeneBasler]

The best time to prune trees is when the saws are sharp. to quote an old friend and superior master arborist from San Antonio.

[biddiemutter]

Would you suggest using leaves falling as the sign that one can prune? I ask because fall happens at different times depending on where you are!

[sharongauss]

I want to lower the canopy and sides of my Eastern Redbud. It’s getting too big and hanging over my driveway. Can this be done?

[lenovovo]

Thanks Mark!! Very good advice you have given! :-)

[Phoenix]

That's what I thought. Wish someone would give a clue to the apartment complexes around here. They like trimming trees in the middle of Summer when we need the shade.

[isaakjananel]

I have two lemon tree, avocado tree, mango tree. I'm not to sure when to prune my trees, I live in Southern California. I discover that my avocado tree have a big water sprout or a big branch almost the same size of my tree and it grew so fast. I'm confuse when to prune it. Thank you for your help.

[bbailey]

Good morning. Thanks for sharing. I sure could use your business in Mabelton Ga.

[hmayor]

From stock broker to Arborist/tree surgeon thats Awesome, you found your true passion. What made you switch careers?

[lukewise]

Appreciate the info, very very informative. But who's throwing out steak, lol😊.

[Joeatsaco]

Thank you. So early on I threw 21-6-11 to my trees as that what my nursery was doing to get the biggest trees. Now in hind sight. They did it to grow trees faster to then charge more for bigger trees. Now my problem. I have some really full to crazy full apple, pear trees. Sounds like in the fall I really need to thin from the middle by 50% as my trees limb and leaf very well and grow to heights I can not get fruit from. But they do t fruit. I am guessing that is because all of the energy has been in growth not in production. Please help.