{"id":611954655558,"date":"2025-11-13T08:47:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T08:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/uncategorized\/when-to-prune-a-tree-winter-summer\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:42:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T08:42:21","slug":"when-to-prune-a-tree-winter-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/trees\/when-to-prune-a-tree-winter-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"When to prune trees? Winter-Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pruning a tree is not like trimming a hedge, although a seriously overgrown hedge is basically a row of scrubby trees that could need pruning to restore it to a proper hedge again.<\/h2>\n

Young ornamental trees may be shaped using secateurs <\/strong>to prune side shoots, but removing branches on an adult tree will need a special pruning saw<\/strong> or saw blade<\/strong> for your bow saw.<\/p>\n

Winter <\/strong>is usually the right time to prune<\/strong> a tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is winter the best time to prune most trees?<\/strong>
Some trees will bleed sap <\/strong>if they are pruned in spring<\/strong>. This is not likely to kill a healthy tree, but it’s best to avoid it.
Birch<\/a>, Laburnum<\/a>, Hornbeam<\/a>, Lime<\/a> (as in Tilia, the common roadside tree, not the citrus, nor the Roman infrastructure, and certainly not the scooters) and Poplar <\/a>trees are all potentially heavy bleeders, so they are always pruned in late autumn<\/strong> to early winter<\/strong> for this reason.<\/p>\n

Magnolia <\/strong>and Walnut <\/a>trees are pruned in late summer<\/strong>. The Walnut may lose some sap at this time, but within a year it will have healed more than it would a year on from an early winter pruning.<\/p>\n

\"Mature<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

That said, summer is often a fine time to prune as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flowering cherry<\/strong> trees and many stone fruit trees<\/strong> (i.e. cherries, plums, peaches – these are all in the group Prunus<\/strong>) should be pruned in summer only.
This avoids the risk of Silver leaf disease, which spreads in winter.<\/p>\n

As for pretty much all other trees, pruning them in summer or winter makes little difference<\/strong>.
If a tree needs pruning to remove <\/strong>Dead, Diseased or Damaged wood, it is usually best to do it right away<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tEnglish Oak Trees\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u00a359.99\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Shirotae\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Mount\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tShirotae Cherry Trees\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u00a364.99\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSnow Queen Birch Trees\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u00a374.99\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Mature\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Mature\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tHimalayan Birch Trees\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u00a339.99\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Red\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Bareroot\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRed Sentinel Crab Apple Trees\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u00a364.99\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRed Horse Chestnut Trees\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\u00a3119.00\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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