To Trim Or Not To Trim?

[Lee Borgersen]

      Should We Trim Shrubs And Trees In Late Summer?

September 2, 2016

 
When does late summer end, and early fall begin? Maybe it’s a half-empty versus half-full debate. At some point yard and garden tasks make the switch. Fresh summer vegetables finish up, replaced by fall harvest of potatoes, squash, pumpkins and onions.

What about the overgrown lilac that we never quite got around to trimming earlier. Can it be pruned now? And the apple branch that’s hanging too low? Is it ok to get a jump on next spring and do some trimming now?

  .....
The answer’s easy: No. Pruning in late summer or fall isn’t recommended. Oh, it might not kill the shrub or tree, but then again it could. Before rolling the dice with a tree or shrub’s life, consider why fall pruning can cause damage:

  ...
Pruning stimulates new growth. That’s great in spring and early summer, but when pruning causes new, fresh, young, tender shoots to sprout in late summer, they don’t have enough time to grow, mature and toughen up before winter sets in. All this still-tender tip growth can be injured during winter. When next spring arrives, the plant might be covered with dead twigs around the outer perimeter.
Pruning wounds don’t heal as efficiently in late summer. Plant cell growth slows as nature readies trees and shrubs for winter. Cut surfaces don’t close and heal. Open wounds make branches more susceptible to winter injury. Late summer/fall pruning can cause branch dieback, which will be visible next spring as injured branches fail to leaf out.

So, when is the best time to prune? Most deciduous trees and shrubs are best pruned in early spring before buds “break” and before branches leaf out. Lilacs and other spring-blooming shrubs can wait until after flowering, but for a total rejuvenation of old, leggy lilacs or spireas, early spring is better, cutting back to 6 inches above ground level. They won’t bloom the same year, but skipping one season of flowers is a small price to pay for a well-branched, healthy shrub.



Give the pruning shears a rest until next spring. “Happy Gardening!”



Evergreen trimming is best in May and June.


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[deadeye]

Oh, crap.  I just whacked the heck out of some lilac and other bushes.  Major cut back.  I always go with the it's ok to trim, cut in any month with an "R" in it.

[Dotch]

Ya my trimming policy tends to be more by time available than it is by design. Fortunately that usually means after the ground is froze. Mostly trees. Not much for evergreen shrubs or ornamental type stuff anymore that needs a lot of pruning here. In the case of apples, I usually don't start that project until February or March. However, I have a couple crabapple trees on my $hit list after tangling with them while mowing all summer. Thought I had them pretty well under control after the brutal treatment I gave them last fall but they grew all kinds of new crap with 2" - 3" spikes about facial level just to annoy me. Resilient little buggers!

[HD]

We have a, I'd say, a 2 acre yard that we mow. If I get whacked in the face, it gets trimmed. We have a crap ton of trees in our yard....and I  can't take very many more hits to the noodle....hell, I'm looney now (just ask the neighbors)   

Point is, I  trim all summer log.

[deadeye]

I hear you there HD.  If it hits me a couple times, it's gone.

[LPS]

Glad to hear I am not the only one who trims all summer long.  If it bugs me I trim it.