Pruning Trees

What you need!
• Sharp secateurs or loppers

Time needed!
15-30 minutes per tree

• The majority of deciduous trees are best pruned when dormant, ideally late autumn or winter. DON’T prune in either late winter or early spring as many trees bleed sap if they are cut during this time of year.
• There are exceptions to the deciduous tree, including maple, horse chestnut, birch, walnut and cherry trees, which will all bleed extensively, even towards the end of the dormant season. So the best time to prune these trees is in mid-summer after new growth has matured.
• Conifers don’t require a lot of pruning, except the removal of any dead or diseased branches during late summer.