Even though most homeowners only think about pruning their trees during the spring and summer, pruning your trees during the winter still has its benefits. Let’s take a look at some reasons to prune your trees while you prepare for the holiday season.

Increased Visibility

One great reason to prune your trees during the winter is because most of them will be dormant. They won’t have their usual foliage, which will make it easier to see any damaged or diseased branches that need to be removed. Branching patterns will also be easier to see, making structural pruning much easier than during the spring or summer.

Dormant Diseases and Insects

Most insect species and diseases will also be dormant during the winter, which can make the pruning process safer for your trees. This is especially important if you have oak and elm trees, both of which should only be pruned during the winter. Beetles that spread oak wilt are attracted to the sap from freshly cut oak trees, so pruning while beetles and other insects are dormant will help keep your trees safe.

A Smaller Impact on Your Landscape

Tree pruning will always have an impact on your landscaping, but pruning during the winter can keep that to a minimum. Your lawn and other plants will mostly be dormant during the winter, so stress from foot traffic, branch removal, and equipment usage will be greatly lessened.

A Faster Healing Process for Your Trees

Proper pruning is beneficial to a tree, but you’re still removing a part of it. Trees need time to recover after pruning, and the dormant season is the ideal time for that. Your trees will already be at rest during the winter, so pruning them during this time exposes them to less stress and makes the healing process much easier.

Protection From Harsh Winter Weather

It’s no secret that winter weather can be hard on trees. Blizzards and ice storms can do just as much damage to your trees as any summer thunderstorm, but structural pruning can help your trees better withstand the worst that the winter season can throw at them.

As you can see, the holiday season is actually the ideal time to have your trees pruned, especially if you have oak and elm trees on your property. If you haven’t pruned your trees lately and want to have them trimmed in time for the holidays, call The Tree Doctor in Springfield, MO to schedule a tree pruning today.