Summer is an excellent time for restorative pruning. You can correct problems that have resulted from over-pruning or poor pruning. You can also clean up damage from winter and spring storms. Proper pruning will begin to restore most plants' natural shape.
If you've got a fruit tree, summer pruning will promotes more blossoms (and more fruit!) the following spring. Fruit will mature better in sunlight, so allowing air and sun to reach the fruit will boost its size and sweetness.
Few plants are pruned this time of year because pruning encourages new growth that does not have time to harden off before winter. Late-season pruning typically does more harm than good.
Don't prune too late in northern regions.
In areas with cold winters, avoid pruning after the middle of August. If you prune too late, you may stimulate new growth that would not have time to grow thick, protective bark before the killing frosts of winter.
Pruning in August improves plant form just ahead of fall's growth spurt. Light shaping now will look beautiful after new fall growth arrives in the weeks ahead. Note: Plants should be well watered in the days ahead of pruning. Those that are experiencing drought stress should not be pruned.
Summer pruning is best done in August-September, when the majority of branches have set a terminal bud.
Don't Prune in Late Summer and Fall
Pruning shrubs in August or early September may encourage a late flush of growth. This new growth may not harden sufficiently before the arrival of cold weather and be susceptible to winter injury.
Pruning Trees in Summer: Cut Conservatively
If you prune to excess in summer, next year, your trees may not be as full. Summer pruning takes away from the tree's total number of leaves, and fewer leaves mean less food flowing throughout the tree for next year's growth.
An improper cut like a flush cut (cutting too close to the trunk) or a stub cut (cutting too far from the trunk) can cause irreversible damage to a tree. A flush cut removes the branch collar and leaves a large wound in the side of the tree that won't heal properly.
Pruning less of the plant but more frequently is by far the best for the overall health of it. We recommend every other month, which comes out to be five times per year. This is the sweet spot for pruning and will help keep everything looking and performing its best.
Choose the Right Time
Likewise, prune in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the newly cut ends of branches becoming scorched by the hot sun. Wait 48 hours after rain to prune, to allow plants to dry out and avoid fungal diseases. When pruning, make cuts just above leaf nodes, or buds.
Summer pruning involves cutting back new shoots to allow light to reach the fruit. New shoots are stiff and woody along their bottom third, with dark green leaves and a cluster of leaves at the base.
There is never a bad time to remove dead, damaged or diseased branches. But most trees benefit from pruning in mid to late winter. Pruning during dormancy encourages new growth as soon as the weather begins to warm. The lack of leaves after autumn allows you to easily identify branches and limbs requiring removal.
Young trees should be inspected and trimmed every 1-5 years. Mature trees may benefit from a yearly inspection with perhaps a five- to 10-year cycle of trimming and pruning. Fruit trees may need to be trimmed annually. Hire a qualified arborist to trim trees.
ALWAYS prune back to or just above a growing point (branch or bud) or to the soil line. NEVER leave a stem or branch stub. NEVER top a tree to “rejuvenate” growth.
In reality, snipping the tips of branches (stubbing out) is one of the worst pruning mistakes you can make. Pruning stimulates the plant to grow, so when you snip the tip of one branch, four to six new branches take its place.
Over pruning and topping can permanently disfigure your trees, or even kill them. Further, a tree's foliage is important for protecting it against excessive sun exposure.
Prune shrubs that flower before mid-June after they flower. For these spring-blooming beauties, remove the largest stems, cutting them back to the ground. This causes the plant to push out new growth from both the crown and all remaining stems.
If you realize that your plant is root bound in the middle of Winter, it doesn't mean it's the right time to root prune it! All “invasive plant procedures” such as; repotting, pruning and root pruning need to be done in Spring, (Summer is OK too).
According to gardening expert Mike McGrath, author of Mike McGrath's Book of Compost, and radio host of the show You Bet Your Garden, the rule of pruning is that you should NOT prune in fall. That's right, nothing and no exceptions.
If you want to prune in fall, wait until trees drop their leaves and are dormant—usually October or November. After leaf drop, you can see the tree's structure and identify disease and insect problems more easily.
Generally, the best time to prune or trim trees and shrubs is during the winter months. From November through March, most trees are dormant which makes it the ideal time for the following reasons: Trees are less susceptible to insects or disease.