August is an excellent month for pruning many shrubs and trees in the landscape, just ahead of the fall growth spurt. It's also a perfect time for pruning backyard fruit trees for size control. Removing excess growth now instead of waiting until January will help keep fruit trees smaller.
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.
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.
Late summer or early fall pruning causes vigorous re-growth of tissue, which in some cases may not harden off by the time winter arrives, leading to possible cold damage to the new growth.
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.
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.
Summer pruning is best done in August-September, when the majority of branches have set a terminal bud.
The best season to prune trees is while they are dormant, or generally between November and March. This means waiting for them to lose their foliage and cease growth, but before forming buds. For fruit trees such as the apple tree, prune in late winter.
A summertime shape up is healthy for people and trees alike. Although the best time to prune any plant is typically in its dormant phase, trees will benefit from a nice mid-season trim as well. Summer trims can cut down on the amount of pruning you'd have to do later in the year.
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.
Shrubs can be trimmed in summer, but avoid trimming spring flowering shrubs which have aready grown shoots for the next spring because this will reduce flowering the following year. Instead, trim them immediately after they have finished flowering but before new shoots have begun to grow.
Any gardening expert will tell you, (contrary to what you may believe) that pruning encourages new growth just when the plant is trying to go dormant and new growth doesn't have enough time to harden before the first frost and freezing temperatures hit. Pruning at this time of year will severely weaken the plants.
Trim your roses again in late summer
Since we have a longer flowering season in warmer climates, I also recommend another pruning in August. This will encourage a second, hearty bloom cycle in October. This pruning does not need to be as hard-core and meticulous.
Plants that bloom on old wood (last year's growth) are pruned after flowering so as not to remove flower buds with a winter pruning. Hedges also require additional shaping in early summer, and fruits need a little training.
Prune any other stems to shorten or shape the shrub. Use hand pruners or loppers for this job, not hedge shears. Shrubs to prune in early summer: lilac, azalea, forsythia, Japanese kerria, weigela, deutzia, mockorange, St. John's wort, viburnums and the colorful redtwig and yellowtwig dogwoods.
As a general rule, a light summer pruning can be performed on most deciduous trees and shrubs. Heavier pruning should be performed when the tree is dormant, preferably in late winter before active growth begins.
The rule on fall pruning is, generally speaking, don't prune in fall. But there are a few trimming tasks you can take on with confidence, provided you approach the job with self-control and a plan. The timing window for these pruning chores is from Thanksgiving to the New Year.
Fall isn't the right time to prune trees and shrubs. There are good reasons to wait till late winter or after the plants' leaves have fallen. Pruning too soon can harm your trees and shrubs.So, when it comes to fall pruning, procrastination is the way to go.
Did you know that if you prune too late in the season, you stimulate new growth, which will not have time to harden off before the first frost, which will be coming soon to our neck of the woods. This can weaken and damage the plant, so its best to leave the pruning until spring.
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.
Overgrown trees can pose a serious risk to your property and your family. Dead or damaged branches can fall and cause damage to your home or car or even injure someone. In addition, overgrown trees can block sunlight and views and can even damage foundations or driveways.
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.