The Time to Prune Conifers

Pruning Time

• The best time to prune conifers is during very early spring just prior to the yearly growth flush of spring and summer, according to the University of California Extension. Conifers produce fresh growth only once a year, in spring or early summer. If pruning is delayed until after the tree has produced new growth, your pruning will remove this healthy new foliage. Late spring pruning is recommended if the goal is to keep the conifers to a smaller size.

Disadvantages of Late Pruning

• Pruning at a later time leaves a conifer with reduced foliage for the entire year, creating stress and affecting overall tree health. This is especially damaging for younger trees where the foliage is responsible for processing required sugar and food. Removing new foliage from younger conifers results in dwarfing the tree. The leafless area of the tree created by late pruning will take months to fill in, reducing the aesthetic value of the tree. The bark of conifers is more prone to damage during late spring and summer and increases the susceptibility of the tree to fungal infections.

General Pruning Method

• Conifers are pruned for the purpose of creating a certain shape and for maintaining size and density. Cut the longer, out-of-scale branches to a lateral, which is a vigorous side shoot growing from old wood. Start the pruning from the top of the tree and come downward by removing the branches that are extending beyond the shorter, lower ones. Take care not to ruin the natural shape of the tree by cutting all branches to similar length. Make sure all cuts are covered as best as possible by overlapping branches.

Disadvantages of Heavy Pruning

• Conifers are very sensitive to severe pruning. Heavy pruning is not required for tree health or to maintain form and size. Older trees are especially likely to suffer seriously from severe pruning, and can decline and die completely. Conifers like pine lack live buds in the old branches; when these branches are cut back heavily, there is no new shoot growth. This causes the branch to die completely. Light pruning that removes only leafy branches is the safe pruning method.