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.
Summer pruning is all about “finish work”: trim, tile, cabinetry, etc. It refines form and keeps the interior of the tree open to sunlight, which is vital to fruit production. Remember that it takes >50% direct sunlight striking a branch to produce and maintain fruit buds.
The summer pruning reduces the barren and unproductive area and facilitates light penetration for excellent fruit quality and colour development. It diverts the energy into those parts which are capable of bearing fruits.
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.
In pruning, there are three primary types of pruning cuts, thinning cuts, reduction cuts, and heading cuts, each giving different results in growth and appearance.
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.
Late winter to early spring or mid- to late summer are some of the best times to prune hedges more drastically. Test Garden Tip: If you're growing a privacy hedge, reduce the amount of pruning maintenance needed by selecting shrubs that grow only as tall and wide as necessary to provide screening.
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.
Wait until just after any fruiting and flowering is complete to cut back. Prune a tree or shrub that produces fruit or flowers too early, and you'll cut off fruit and flowers. Prune the shrub or tree too late, and you may cut off growth that would have produced fruit and flowers next year.
Helps Control Disease
Some trees, like oaks, should only be pruned during the dormant season because they are especially susceptible to oak wilt disease, which is known to spread extremely fast in the spring and summer.
That's especially for oak and elm trees! If possible, you should not prune oak trees at all during the summer to reduce the chance of oak wilt, which is a potentially fatal disease, and do not prune elm trees at all during the summer to reduce the chance of Dutch elm disease, both of which are fatal diseases.
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.
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 pruning mainly takes place in mid summer (July and August in the northern hemisphere), but it's a good idea to go out early and acquaint yourself with what's going on, so you know what you'll be lopping off next month. If your tree is very advanced you could start straight away.
Midsummer can be an excellent time for pruning flowering shrubs as long as you prune the right plants at the right time. In general, you cannot go wrong if you turn your attention to plants that have bloomed recently. Prune off everblooming roses after their first flush of bloom to encourage further flowers.
For a tree to completely compartmentalize and seal off the exterior of a severed branch, it may take upwards of 15 to 20 years. However, within the tree, this containment process is fast-paced and extremely effective.
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.
After “how?", the second most-asked question we get about pruning is “when?” (Or, "Can I prune this now?") The rule of thumb is to prune immediately after bloom for flowering shrubs, in late winter or early spring for non-blooming shrubs (particularly for heavy pruning), and not after mid-August for any shrubs.
Prune all evergreens, except pine, before new growth starts in the spring or during the semidormant period in mid-summer. When pruning, follow the general branching pattern to maintain the natural shape. Remove dead, diseased, or broken branches anytime.
Good candidates for hard pruning
Due to the severity of this approach, it is recommended only every three to five years. However, woody shrubs such as smooth hydrangea, Japanese spirea, ninebark, and elderberry can be pruned like this more often, even as often as annually if desired.
Webb said pruning typically involves removing dead or diseased wood and thinning out stems and branches to improve the overall health and appearance of a plant. On the other hand, trimming typically involves cutting back plant material for reasons other than health concerns.
Actually, summer pruning isn't risky and sometimes it really is a better option than winter pruning. One of the main difference between the two techniques is that pruning in winter stimulates growth; pruning in summer checks it.
As a general rule, prune spring-blooming trees immediately after they flower. Prune trees that bloom in the summer or fall in late winter or early spring before the end of their dormancy. Routine pruning of dead or dying branches can be done at any time.