Should You Trim Trees in the Summer? While ideally tree pruning only is done in winter, some trees and shrubs need to be trimmed throughout the year. This is especially true for those with tumultuous storm damage or hanging limbs that impede access to their home and yard.
Spring-blooming shrubs (such as viburnum, forsythia, and lilacs) flower on last year’s wood and can be trimmed in summer to keep new growth on them in shape.
Safety
Tree trimming, or pruning, is an essential landscape maintenance task that can improve safety for you and your family while reducing the risk of damage to structures and vehicles. It can also promote healthy growth and enhance the beauty of your home’s landscaping. Although it is best to prune trees in the winter while they are dormant, there are some circumstances when you can you trim trees in the summer when tree trimming is appropriate.
For one, certain branches that pose a danger to your property should be trimmed right away, even in the summer. This is especially true when a branch hangs low enough to cause damage or if it impedes your ability to walk around the property and cut grass, etc. Another reason to trim a dangerous branch is to reduce the chance of it falling during a storm.
As with all types of pruning, you want to make sure that your cuts are clean and proper. A flush cut is a no-no as it opens up the tree to pests and disease. A proper cut will leave a stub that allows for rapid healing and minimal open wounds where disease can enter the tree. Ideally, pruning cuts should be made at the branch collar (the swollen area where a branch meets the trunk) instead of farther out on the limb.
The goal of a summer trim should be to remove dead limbs, thin the canopy, and correct any structural issues with the tree. Thinning the canopy will improve air circulation and light penetration throughout the crown of an oak tree. This will allow the tree to grow more vigorously and reduce the chances of a weakened branch falling during a storm.
Certain species of trees respond well to a summer trim, including oaks, elms, and other deciduous trees that are prone to disease. However, it’s important to remember that these trees should never be trimmed between April and October to avoid spreading oak wilt and other diseases. A qualified arborist can trim these trees at the right time to prevent disease and keep them healthy.
Aesthetics
Many homeowners and landscaping professionals trim trees to improve their aesthetics. For instance, trimming trees can correct crooked branches or maintain the proper shape of the tree’s canopy for sunlight penetration and airflow. The ideal time to do this is during the winter or early spring, but if it’s unavoidable, summer pruning can be used to address some safety and aesthetic concerns.
For instance, a low-hanging branch may be an obstacle for pedestrians or vehicles, making it necessary to remove it. Or, a dead branch could fall and damage property. In these cases, a limb should be removed as soon as possible to prevent further damage or injury.
In addition, certain species benefit from summer pruning to maintain the desired shape of the canopy and boost fruit production. Examples include maple and birch trees, which respond well to mid-summer pruning to control their spreading crowns. Additionally, sappy hardwoods such oak trees such as walnut, elm, and cherry do best with summer pruning to slow down their leafy growth and boost their fruit production.
Summer pruning can also be used to trim oak trees to address several aesthetic concerns, including the removal of abrasions and blemishes from previous storm damage. In addition, trimming can reduce the risk of future limbs falling during storms by removing weak, leggy, or rubbing branches that are prone to breaking off during high winds.
Another common concern addressed by summer pruning is the creation of unattractive “knuckles” in the trunks and branches of a tree, caused by improper winter pruning. Proper pruning creates a desirable taper that gradually moves from thick at the base to fine near the top of the branch or trunk.
Lastly, some shrubs and flowering trees that bloom in the spring benefit from light pruning during the summer to ensure adequate sunlight for their flowers or fruits. Examples of these include Glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora), Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), and several species of Rhus, Stewartia, and Albizia.
It’s important to note that removing too many tree limbs in the summer can cause serious long-term problems, such as weakened bark or root systems and an increased vulnerability of mature trees to disease and insects. As such, it’s recommended to use summer trimming only as needed and not as a routine maintenance practice.
Pests
Typically, heavy pruning is best left to late winter or early spring when deciduous trees are in dormancy. However, if you have a problem tree with overly long branches or those that are too close to a structure, a summer trim may be a good option for you. Similarly, some evergreens that are overgrown or in need of tidying up can be pruned during the summer.
Pruning in the summer is not without its risks though, so it’s important to take certain precautions. Generally, you’ll want to avoid cutting open wounds during the summer tree pruning, as this can make trees vulnerable to disease and pests. This is especially true for certain species that bleed sap when trimmed.
It’s also a good idea to sterilize your pruning tools before and after each cut, so you don’t transfer any harmful bacteria or pathogens from one tree to another. It’s best to work with a professional, certified arborist who understands your landscape and the proper pruning techniques for each type of tree.
Proper pruning can significantly improve the health and beauty of your fruit trees. During the summer, you can prune out dead twigs and branches, thin out your canopy by removing suckers, water sprouts, and crossing or rubbing branches, and get rid of “the three Ds” (diseased, damaged, or dead). This can help the tree direct energy where it’s needed to grow and produce flowers or fruit.
It’s also a good time to do some structural cleanup by removing dead or unhealthy branches and thinning out your canopy to increase light penetration to the lower areas of the fruit tree below the crown. Additionally, if you have a tree with multiple leaders, it’s a great time to encourage a single dominant leader by removing any competing branches and promoting lateral branching. It’s a good idea to mulch around the base of your trees following pruning to retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and reduce weed competition. Lastly, you should monitor your trees and shrubs for signs of stress or damage and provide additional care as needed to help them recover from pruning.
Storm Damage
Storms can be devastating to trees, and when they are knocked down they can cause severe damage to structures. If a tree is weakened by pests, diseases, or improper pruning it will be more susceptible to damage during a storm. A good tree trimmer can identify these problems and address them before they escalate, reducing the risk of damaged property during a storm.
While pruning should ideally be done in the dormant season, it is sometimes necessary to prune a tree in summer for safety reasons. If a branch is hanging too low over your home or pool, or it’s dead and in danger of falling during a storm, it should be trimmed immediately. Dead branches and limbs can fall and damage people or structures, and it’s not safe for people to work under them. In addition, a rotting branch can quickly become an unstable structure that could fall on your house during a storm.
In addition, if you have a tree that has recently been planted, it is important to remove any low branches that have not yet had the opportunity to grow into their permanent positions. In general, newer trees have a hard time handling heavy winds and are more vulnerable to storm damage than established older trees. Proper trimming in the summer can help strengthen young trees and mitigate damage during a storm.
Many tree species, including walnut, birch, and maple trees, benefit from being trimmed in the latter summer months. They tend to produce more fruit when they are trimmed, and this is also a good time to remove suckers or water sprouts that can interfere with growth.
If you need to trim your trees in the summer, it’s best to leave large pruning jobs to a professional. Cutting a tree too severely during the growing season can disrupt its natural growth pattern and lead to damage, disease, or death. An experienced tree care service can identify the proper cuts for pruning trees for a particular type of tree and ensure that the wounds are properly sealed to prevent infection. They should also avoid topping, which can weaken the tree and make it more susceptible to damage from storms and insects.
